Out Of Place
by eseiprahs
Summary: No Lyoko, the kids are normal. But Odd comes into the picture with a dark past, a parole officer, and a goal that involves him changing his ways. But with the help of Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremy, and Aelita this change might just be possible.
1. Chapter 1

**My second fanfiction. So, I'm pretty much a rookie at this stuff. xD So if you have some insults, say them a bit lightly. If you say anything harsh, I'm thinking I'll just laugh at them. [: Because with many people that already know me, I DON'T LIKE RUDE PEOPLE!**

**Just throwing that out there. :D**

**I don't own Code Lyoko..or any music I mention in this story. (and if you don't know what a hatchetman looks like, look it up.)**

**And the song I use in this chapter is American Psycho by Treble Charger.**

Out Of Place

Chapter 1

Right outside of Greenville, Alabama of was a school. A school with many students, along with many sports and activities. The front of the flyer had the faces of some happy, smiling students. And inside, it had a picture of the front of the school, with it's many windows. And other pictures of the friendly looking students. Note the key word: friendly _looking_. Yeah, one of Odd DellaRobia's number one rules was, never judge a book by its cover.

There he was, on a bus traveling to Kadic Academy. His hair was a medium-type length, pretty shaggy, yet straight, with a spot of purple in the back. Because he sometimes liked to spike his hair, so whenever he did, the little purple spot looked cool. But today, his hair was down, and you could'nt see the purple spot because he had a black beanie on his head that had a red hatchet man on it. He was also wearing black a red high top shoes, purple and black checkered skinny jeans that were low enough to see some of his black boxers with pot leaves on them, and a black tshirt that said, bite me across it.

His lip had a ring on the right side of his bottom lip. People tended to think of him as a freak, just because he expressed himself in different ways. But he had his own ways of dealing with people like that.

He didn't want to go to Kadic Academy, he wanted to stay in his old school. He wanted to stay in his town. His small, yet cozy town of Greenville. The town was only a short 20 minutes away, but that didn't change the fact that he had to go to a new school, with new kids, new teachers. It was like a whole new atmosphere.

Odd was staring out the bus window, at the town passing by. He was holding his blue ipod, and he had music buzzing in his ears. His black and white checkered bookbag was on his lap. But there wasen't much in it. Just some folders and notebooks.

The bus then started slowing down until it came to a complete stop.

"Kadic Academy." The bus driver spoke over the bus intercom.

Sighing, the stood up, and took the earphones out of his ears. He swung his bookbag onto his back, and walked down the isle to the bus door.

"Have a good day." The female bus driver said brightly.

"Thanks, you too." He said, giving her a small smile. Just because he looks the way he does, doesn't mean he doesn't have manners. Like his rule, don't judge a book by its cover.

As he stepped off the bus, and the bus's doors swung closed behind him. It drove away down the road. And he just continued standing there, facing a dirt path with woods on both sides of it. His back was to a slightly busy road, with a car going by every few seconds, causing a light wind to breath on his back. He could see the school a little in the distance in front of him. There's no use not going now, he couldn't miss his first day of school. The school would taddle to his parole officer.

Yes, he had a parole officer. Much to his annoyance.

He started forward on the path to the school. He had his ipod and phone in his pocket, and his nearly empty bookbag on his back. What should have been a 5 minute walk had turned into a 10 minute walk for Odd Dellarobia. He was trying to walk as slowly as possible.

But no matter how slow he walked, he was walking in the same direction, which was the direction to the school.

And then, 10 minutes later, there he was. At the end of the dirt path.

Odd looked up at the school, it was a nice school. No doubt about that. There were kids walking around, talking excitedly, and hugging.

The school had called a couple days ago saying that he would have to go to the main office in order to get his schedule.

So, putting one ear phone in his ear, and keeping his ipod in his pocket, he walked forward.

_**What's the problem with the human race?**_

_**No matter where I turn I cant escape a double face**_

He had just gotten to the middle of the courtyard, and he stopped, looking around. He had to admit, this school was pretty nice. And the kids looked pretty cool, he was turning his head around, looking at this new atmosphere around him.

_**Don't wanna listen to the radio**_

_**I'll stick around just to hear I told you so**_

He saw a tall girl with short black hair, who looked to be chinese or japanese. She was wearing short, stressed denim shorts with a fitted black short-sleeved shirt. And she was talking to another kid with blackish-blueish hair who was wearing a black, button up shirt with dark denim jeans.

_**How could we make it without you?**_

_**I should've known it better to doubt you**_

_**I thought I heard the end of it**_

The boy noticed him staring at them, and he gestured for the chinese/japanese girl. She turned around and looked at him. She smiled at him. Not a smirking smile, a friendly smile. Maybe he would like it here after all?

But sure enough, he heard a group of 3 kids behind him whispering something with the words, purple and beanie and freak. Yeupp, that would be him. First crap talkers of the school year. Yay.

_**And now I know how far you'd go**_

_**To be the next freakshow, american psycho**_

_**Cover of the magazines**_

_**Wish I never heard your name**_

He turned to face the gossip group, that were sitting under a tree. One kid with brown hair was pinching his bottom lip, as if he was puncturing it, and laughing along to his joke. Odd knew what he was doing, he paused his ipod and rolled the earphones around the device and put it back in his pocket. He then looked back over at the jokester. Noticing that he was looking at them, one of the girls hit the kid with her hand to get his attention. The kid noticed that Odd was staring at them as well, causing him to shut up immediately. Smirking, Odd walked over to them and crouched down in front of the brown haired kid.

"Pretending to pierce your lip huh?" he asked in an innocent way. Almost as if he haden't seen them just making fun of him.

The boy looked around uncomfortably. "Uh-um.." was all he muttered.

Smirking, Odd said "If I were you, I'd stop the trash talking about a complete stranger that you know nothing about. Or I'll pierce your lip for you." He threatened.

The kid gulped. His friends who were sitting with him were looking at the ground.

Satisfied, Odd stood up and strode away.

A brown haired, 15 year old was just walking into the school yard, olive green bookbag slung over his shoulder. He was wearing a light brown shirt with dark green baggy pants.

"Ulrich!" he heard someone say his name. He turned and saw one of his best friends running toward him, her white bookbag bouncing around on her back. She looked a lot like she did when the last school year had ended. But slightly older. She had her usual short pink hair and glowing look on her face. She was wearing short, white shorts with a pink fitted short-sleeved shirt.

She leaped at him and hugged him, hard.

Grimacing, Ulrich tried to hug her back but his hands were pinned down at his sides. "It's nice to see you too Aelita." He said in a strained voice. "But could you loosen up your death hug? I cant breath!"

Aelita let go immediately, and laughed. "Sorry Ulrich."

"It's alright.." he said, stretching his arms out a bit.

They started walking toward the school together, down the dirt path that went toward the school.

"So how was your summer in Greece?" Ulrich asked.

"Oh it was fantastic! It's so beautiful there!" Aelita dove into talking about how the ocean was as blue as the sky and how her being able to speak Greek had finally payed off because she got to talk to her grandma and grandpa and other family that was there in Greek tongue.

Finally finishing, she took a breath. "So how was your summer?" she asked Ulrich.

"Eh." Ulrich replied, shrugging. "Ya know, same old, same old."

At this, Aelita raised an eyebrow. "Same old, same old? Come on, you must have done _something _fun."

"Well, I mean, I pretty much just hung around with Yumi for some of the summer. And a couple other people from school." But then he said in an annoyed tone. "Because you all left me to go on your awesome adventures, and left me here."

Aelita rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. We didn't _all_ leave you!"

Ulrich narrowed his eyes at her. "Wanna bet? You went to Greece, Yumi went to Japan for half the summer, and Jeremy stayed at his uncle's lake house."

"Wow. I guess we did all leave you didn't we?"

Ulrich nodded. "Mhm."

"But we're back now!" she said excitedly. "And we're going to have the bestest, most awesome-est year ever!" she said poking him in the side, trying to tickle him.

Ulrich laughed. "We better. Because you guys _so_ owe me." He said, as he put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a one armed hug.

Odd was standing in the office in front of a desk with a middle aged lady sitting there. She was clicking at her computer. "And your name is?" she asked.

"Odd Dellarobia." He replied.

She looked at him over her pointed glasses for a moment, then typed in his name. "Odd Dellarobia, transferred from Greensville, Alabama?" she questioned.

"Yes." He said nodding.

The desk lady clicked around somemore and then rolled her chair over to a printer behind her. She waited while the paper gradually slid out. She grabbed it and rolled back over to the desk and handed the piece of paper to him. "Here's your schedule. We have 5 classes that we take everyday. But you don't have gym everyday. You only have it twice a week." She explained. "Any questions you need to ask?"

Odd looked at his paper then back at her and replied, "Nope, I think I'm good."

"Alright, your parole officer will bring you to your first class today. Hope you have a nice school day." She told him, then went back to her computer.

When Odd stepped out of the office, her looked around. Where was he supposed to go now? And what was he supposed to do?

He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time. 7:20, and class started at 7:30.

"I don't think they alow cell phones here."

Odd looked up to see his parole officer walking toward him. He was a big, african american man, with quite a bit of muscle. His name was Mr. Bubbles. Not to fitting of course. Odd had made the mistake of laughing at his name the first time they'd met. Mr. Bubbles had made him do 50 push ups. Odd put slipped his phone back in his pocket. "Sorry."

"Just don't let the teacher's see it." He reprimanded. "Now, where is your first class."

"Um.." Odd had folded his schedule and had put it in his pocket.

Mr. Bubbles raised an eyebrow.

Odd took out his schedule and un-folded it. "English. Room B22." He replied looking back up at the big man.

"I hope you don't treat school like you're treating your schedule." Mr. Bubbles said.

Odd glared at him. "It's just a piece of paper, calm down."

"Come on then, we don't want to be late." His parole officer said as he turned and started walked off, while Odd followed.

The english room was already filled with students. The time on the clock over the classroom door read 7:25. The students in the room had already claimed their seats by putting their belongings in the chairs and on the desks. But some were walking around, talking with friends.

Jeremy, Ulrich, and Aelita were sitting in a sort of triangle in the back of the room. Ulrich and Jeremy sitting next to each other, and Aelita sitting in the deak behind them by herself.

Ulrich, having told Jeremy earlier that he wanted to sit beside him so he could help him if he needed it. But Jeremy knew that his version of 'help' was more of 'copying off of Jeremy's work'.

"It's too bad we couldn't see Yumi this morning." Ulrich said, slumping a bit in his desk.

"You'll see her at lunch for sure." Jeremy said, trying to reassure him.

"So..is this the year?" Aelita questioned, looking at Ulrich.

Ulrich had a confused look on his face. "Year? Year for what?"

"Year that you finally learn stuff on your own instead of copying from me." Jeremy said.

Ulrich shote a glare at him. "Shut up."

Jeremy laughed a bit.

"No!" Aelita said. "I mean, is this the year you'll _finally_ ask Yumi out."

Ulrich, who had been leaning back on his stool, almost fell over. "W-what?"

"Oh come on Ulrich! Just do it already!" Aelita said, slamming her hands on her desk.

Ulrich was blushing furiously. "I-I don't want to talk about it.."

"You look like a tomato." Jeremy said, and Ulrich shot him another glare.

"Will you just leave!" he shouted, and Jeremy started laughing again.

"Alright class quiet down! Quiet down!" the teacher had come in. She had short brown hair in a boy cut. And she was wearing a light green shirt with a dark purple jacket and pencil skirt.

Everyone quickly got to their seats and sat down.

"Now, I know that it's the first day of school. And that's always exciting. And that's why, today we're going to focus on learning about eachother. And for starters, for those who don't know me already, I'm Mrs. Flanagin. And I will be your english teacher. She said smiling her cherry red lips.

But before they could get any further, there was a knock on the door. Mrs. Flanagin went to open it. The class could hear some mumbling and then their teacher replied. "Oh, yes! I'm Mrs. Flanagin.." she introduced herself to the stranger outside.

She then leaned back into the room. "Class, we have a new student." She then brought in a boy with a black beanie on his head with a strange symbol on it, a black tshirt with the words 'bite me' on it, and purple and black checkered skinny jeans with red and black high top shoes that looked a bit too big for his feet. And to top it off, a metal loop in his bottom lip.

"Class, I'd like you to meet Odd Dellarobia." She said brightly. "You can go sit back there with Aelita." She said, pointing at the back of the room.

Aelita made a small, squeeling type noise.

Odd strode down the middle isle toward the desk, put his back on the table, and sat on the stool.

The teacher then started talking about other things. Odd turned his head abit toward Aelita. But she wasen't looking at him. Instead she was looking at her hands, which she was fiddling with her fingers in front of her.

Odd had probably fazed out for 15 minutes before a piece of paper was put in front of him by the kid in front of him. He looked at it.

It was a paper with question such as, 'what's your name? and 'what are some of your hobbies?'

Everyone else had started filling it out, and talking. But Odd just sat there and stared at it, realizing he didn't have a pencil.

He turned to the girl next to him. "Um, excuse me.."

She turned to him, with a look on her face as if she was shocked that he was even talking to her. "W-what?" she squeeked.

"Do you have a pencil?"

"Oh, um, yeah" she said. As she unzipped a front pocket in her white white bookbag and took out a pencil. "Here." She said handing it to him.

"Thanks." He said as he went to writing his name on his paper.

"No problem." She replied.

The girl looked at him for a moment and then asked. "Is that your real name?"

Odd looked at her. "Um, yeah. Why?" he asked, one eyebrow up.

"J-just wondering. I've never heard a name like that before." She mumbled.

"Yeah, no one really has." Odd said shrugging. "So what's your name?"

"Aelita."

"Aelita.." Odd pondered the name. "That's a nice name." he said.

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

"No problem." He smiled back at her.

'_This is easier to talk to him then I thought.' _Aelita thought to herself.

"So, um..where did you move from?" she asked. She wanted to get to know him more, she wasen't sure why.

"Greenville." He replied.

Ulrich and Jeremy had been snooping in on the conversation going on behind them.

"Odd. What kind of name is Odd?" Jeremy whispered to Ulrich.

"I don't know." He said, shrugging.

"And what business does he have talking to Aelita? The nerve of him!" he whispered ferociously.

"Um, yeah, he has some crazy nerves." Ulrich replied, giving Jeremy a weird look.

"I mean just look at him!" Jeremy said.

Ulrich peeked a look back at the new kid.

"I want to punch him in the face.." Jeremy whispered some more.

At this, Ulrich laughed. "Yeah, I'd like to see that!"

The bell rang 20 minutes later. Students started leaving the class to go to their next class. Jeremy and Ulrich were already outside the classroom, waiting on Aelita.

"What is taking her so long?" Jeremy said, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

Ulrich shrugged. "Dunno."

They then saw Aelita and Odd step out of the classroom, laughing at something unknown to the other two boys outside the classroom.

"Ahem." Jeremy coughed, interrupting their laughing.

They both turned toward them, Odd with a confused look on his face.

"Oh! Hi Jeremy!" Aelita said happily.

Odd realized then that she knew the boy with the smug look on his face.

"Hi."

"I'd like you both to meet Odd Dellarobia. Even though you heard his name in class I'm still going to introduce you guys. Odd, this is Ulrich." She said, gesturing to the brown haired boy.

"Hey." Ulrich smiled.

Odd nodded to him.

"And this is Jeremy." She said, gesturing to the blonde on with glasses.

"Pleasure." Jeremy snapped. "Can we go now?"

"Oh, right.."

Ulrich, Aelita, Odd, and Jeremy then started walking through the courtyard. In that order.

Jeremy not being happy at all with the arrangement of their line.

"So Odd.." Ulrich said, as Odd turned his head toward him. "Where's your next class?"

Odd took his schedule out of his pocket again, and unfolded it. "Science with Mrs. Hertz." He replied, putting the schedule back in his pocket.

"That's where I'm going!" Aelita said excitedly.

"Hey, me too!" Ulrich said also.

"Perfect." Jeremy mumbled to himself.

But Odd, not hearing him, smiled at the 2 people to his right.

Aelita then, squeezed in between Odd and Ulrich and looped her arms in theres. "Lets go then!" she said as she skipped off, partly dragging Ulrich and Odd behind her, seeing as they didn't want to skip.

While Jeremy was left behind, with a look of anger on his face. He didn't like this Odd Dellarobia character at all.

**Hope you enjoyed. [: I don't know if I'll continue this story..i just want to see where it goes first I guess. But yeah, I don't think there will be any Lyoko world in this. Sorry! And also, as you can see..the characters are most likely pretty out of character. I haven't watched this show in forever but I loved it when I was little. :D And another thing, I don't know if I should make it so it's a bording school or not. Review and tell me or tell me I a private message if I should or not. Thanks. :3 AND ANOTHER THING i know i used Mr. Bubble from the Lilo and Stitch movie. But i just love that name. xD**


	2. Chapter 2

**I just watched the first episode of Code Lyoko, it's been awhile! Brings back some memories. [: But these characters are, I'm sorry, if they're a little out of characterr. **

Out Of Place

Chapter 2

Classes haden't been exremely boring that day, surprisingly enough to Odd Dellarobia. And what was even more surprising was that he actually liked some of the kids here. But notice the keyword, 'some'. Not all the kids were as cool as Aelita and Ulrich. And one of those started with an S.

"And here's the cafeteria!" Aelita announced, spreading her arms out as if she were showing him some big masterpiece.

Odd looked around and noticed kids sitting at tables and some getting their food from trays. "Are you not aloud to go out into the town and eat?" he asked when he saw what the lunch lady was serving.

It looked to be mashed potatoes and green beans and some other type of strange brown stuff that he wasen't sure what it was.

"No." Aelita said shrugging. "It's kindove dumb I know. But some of the stuff here is actually pretty good." But then Aelita noticed a girl she must've known because she took off and started then conversing with her, leaving them behind.

"I wouldn't get the meatloaf if I were you though." Ulrich said as he stepped forward, taking Aelita's spot. "I could've sworn I'd seen it move on it's own once."

Once they got their trays and got in the line, Ulrich went first, then Odd as the lunch lady started giving them their food.

She was a heavy-set woman, with a friendly face and gray hair. For a lunch lady, she seemed to enjoy her job.

"Well hello there sweet pea!" Odd heard her say, he moved his eyes away from the strange brown substance that was before him and looked up at her. "You're a new face! You new this year?"

"Um, yeah." He replied as Ulrich snickered beside him.

"I knew it, I always remember the faces of the kids here! What's your name?"

Odd knew that the line was building up beside him, but that apparently didn't phase the woman any. She was just interested in getting to know him, even if it meant interfereing with her job. "Odd Dellarobia."

"Odd? Well ain't that just a name I've never heard before!" she exclaimed loudly. "Welcome to Kadic Academy!"

He couldn't help but smile at how joyous this woman was. But that was soon interrupted by an angry voice beside him.

"Ex_cuse_ me!"

Odd turned to see the voice belonging to a girl with long, black hair. She was wearing a white spaghetti-strap shirt with short dark blue shorts, and high-heeled sandals. She also wore a face of annoyance.

"Some of us are trying to get some food around here! So can you move?"

"Woah! Calm down before your fake nose falls off honey!" he said loudly before walking away, leaving the girl standing there in shock, and the others behind her snickering.

Ulrich was waiting for him with his tray. "So you've met one of that nicest people here, and one of the worst." He said as they walked to a table where a girl with the short black hair sat that he saw earlier.

"Hey Ulrich." Yumi said smiling at him as he sat down. "And who's your friend?" she looked at him.

Odd wondered if she recognized him as the one that was staring at her earlier.

"Oh, this is…"

"Odd Dellarobia." Odd interrupted as he stuck out his hand and smiled.

Yumi laughed a bit and stuck out her hand as well. "Odd Dellarobia huh? Well my name's Yumi Ishiyama."

"Nice to meet you Yumi Ishiyama."

"So, where are you from?" the short-haired girl asked.

Ulrich was looking at them, enjoying the way they were getting along so well. But then he actually realized how well they really were getting along. They weren't flirting were they?

After Odd told her about where he was from, he mimicked as if he was reading her mind. "Let me guess, you're from…Japan?"

"Wow, you actually got it! Most people think my name is Chinese." Yumi said impressed.

"Hello, hello again!" Aelita said as she set her tray on the table and sat down. Ulrich was somewhat grateful for the interruption.

"Hey Aelita, where's Jeremy?" Yumi asked.

Then Aelita got a look on her face almost as if she'd forgotten about him. "Oh, I don't know. I haven't see him since…"

"Hey guys…" a gloomy voice came from beside her as he sat down, in between Odd and Aelita with his tray.

"Oh, well looky here! I found him!" Aelita said as she pointed at him.

"Where were you?" Yumi asked.

"Oh, I just ran up to my dorm really fast to do something." He answered a bit more cheerily.

He had decided that he wasen't going to let this new kid get him down. No, he had to keep his rightful place in the group.

"Well, Odd had his first Sissi encounter." Ulrich spoke up with a smirk.

At this, everyone's attention snapped to the new kid. "Really?" Aelita asked.

"What happened?" Yumi asked.

"Yes Odd, tell us." Jeremy smirked. He was hoping that Sissi had put him to shame.

Then, Ulrich started laughing as he told them what he'd said. "He'd told her to calm down before her fake nose fell off!"

And then, everyone started laughing. "Wow, it's like you're part of the group already Odd!" Yumi said.

He smiled, enjoying the way he was fitting in so nicely.

Jeremy however, was not smiling. He crossed his arms and stopped eating.

He'd suddenly lost his appetite.

"What is this that I got?" Odd said, poking the strange brown substance in front of him with his plastic fork.

"I told you not to get the meatloaf!" Ulrich said.

"Aw man, is that what I got?"

Then everyone, but Jeremy, at the table said, yes, at the same time.

Odd took a bite of it cautiously and then shrugged. "It ain't that bad."

"Ewww, nasty!" Aelita said as she giggled.

Jeremy just continued glaring at the blonde haired boy. What did they think was so great about him?

/

The sky outside had grown dark, signaling for most people to go up to their dorms.

Jeremy, Yumi, Ulrich, Aelita, and Odd were in Ulrich and Odd's dorm room, having a good time and conversing about things.

When Ulrich and Odd had gone to find out where Odd's stuff had been taken, they were thrilled to find that it was in fact in Ulrich's dorm. Which was saying something because Ulrich haden't wanted a room mate this year. But this had suddenly changed his mind when he'd found out that the new kid was in his dorm.

Odd haden't even unpacked his stuff yet, he didn't feel much like it. So he sat on his side of the room on his bed, Aelita leaning against his bed and Ulrich on his own with Yumi sitting up there with him as well. And Jeremy sat in the spinny desk chair.

At 7:00, Yumi stood up and announced that she had to go. Considering that she didn't live in a dorm, she stayed at her parent's house.

After she'd left, Odd stood up from his bed. "Yeah, I guess I should start unpacking."

"I'll help!" Aelita said as she leaned over, not getting up and grabbed a box and dragged it over to where she was sitting.

"Me too." Ulrich said as he stood up and walked across the room to where his room mate was.

Jeremy didn't speak though, he just sat there still. He didn't want to offer to help this kid, he didn't even like him.

Odd took out a box type device that Aelita recognized immediately. "You have an ihome!" he said.

Surprised by the sudden excitement, he looked at the device in his hand and then back at the pink-haired girl. "Um, yeah. I guess I do!"

"Well plug it in! We need some music in here!" she said excitedly.

Odd laughed at how ridiculously excited this girl was. "Okay, okay!"

He went over to the computer desk and put it on top, he then bent down and plugged it in to the wall. It caused the small screen on top to light up a blue color that read the time on it.

He then took his ipod out of his pocket and plugged it in.

Music then drifted around the dorm as they began unpacking again. Having a ridiculously good time for just merely unpacking things.

Laughing as they hung up posters on the ceilings and walls and put clothes in drawers. Aelita then took a circular-type thing out of a box and looked at it. "What's this?" she asked.

"Disco ball!" Odd exclaimed loudly.

Ulrich laughed. "You've got to be kidding me."

Odd then looked at him like he was stupid. "Um…no! Disco balls are the shizz nit! What do you have against them?"

"Nothing, it's just the most random thing ever to pack a disco ball." Ulrich said shrugging.

Aelita had already gotten up and went over to the desk and plugged it in. "Hey, Jeremy. Are you okay? You seem really quiet."

Indeed Jeremy had been quiet, he haden't said anything since Yumi had left. "Yeah. Fine." He said in a flat tone.

Aelita then turned to Odd. "This disco ball isn't working!"

"There's a switch hun." He said as he found yet another poster. "I don't even know what poster this is…"

"You have so many it's no wonder." Ulrich said as he took more clothes out of a bag.

Then, balls of colorful lights were spinning slowly around the room. Aelita gave a squeal of excitement as she looked at them.

"You can also adjust the speed." Odd spoke up, not looking up from his poster that he was now unrolling.

Aelita looked at the disco ball again and found a little switch labeled speed. You could switch it to three things, either slow, medium, or fast. Simple enough, and of course, Aelita chose fast.

And as soon as she did that, the colorful circles were spinning wildly around the room. And she squeled in excitement some more. And just as a techno song came on Odd's ipod, causing the pink-haired girl to dance around stupidly. "I love this song!"

**Woah, woah**

**Woah, woah**

**Venga boys are back in town**

Ulrich then looked at Odd and smirking. "Venga Boys?"

The blonde haired boy shrugged. "I like techno. Don't judge!" he said pointing a jokingly, warning finger at him.

**If you're alone**

**And you need a friend**

**Someone to make you**

**Forget your problems**

Ulrich lifted up his hands in a way that showed he wasen't. Though he still smiled in amusement.

**Just come along baby**

**Take my hand**

**I'll be your lover tonight**

Aelita was singing the words as she danced toward Odd and stuck out her hand and grabbed his as she made him stand up.

**Woah, woah**

**This is what I wanna do**

**Woah, woah**

**Let's have some fun**

They were then both dancing around lamely and singing the words to each other as Ulrich laughed at how dumb they looked.

**What I want just me and you**

**Boom, boom**

**Boom, boom**

**I want you in my room**

**Let's spend the night together**

**From now until forever**

They could see, that even though Odd's exterior looked tough. He was really a nice guy, he just obviously had some kind of problems that needed dealing with. Just like another rule of Odd's: When life gets you down, dance around stupidly.

**Boom, boom**

**Boom, boom**

**I wanna go boom, boom**

**Let's spend the night together**

**Together in my room**

Watching Aelita and Odd dance and sing like idiots around the room, they were all laughing and having a great time. And in their great time, they failed to notice how Jeremy was no longer in there.

/

**The song that I used isssss…**

**Boom Boom I want You In My Room by Venga Boys.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Updated! Updated! Updated!**

**I'm fast, yayy. (;**

**/**

Out Of Place

Chapter 3

The steady, flat beeping of the alarm clock woke Ulrich the next morning at 6:30. Groaning, he slapped his hand over it, turning it off. He always hated waking up this early, the beginnings of the sunrise was barely shining through the blinds of the window. Peaking from under his pillow across the room, he could see Odd still asleep on the other side of the room.

Sighing, he uncovered himself and got up. Going over to his roomate's bed, he nudged him once.

"Odd…" he whispered. "Time to get up…"

But the boy wasen't waking up, he just continued laying there and snoring slightly. So Ulrich tried again, nudging him harder this time. And that nudge made him jerk awake. "What?" he said loudly and annoyed.

"Time to wake up…" Ulrich said again.

"No." he said stubbornely.

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Come on man. You don't really have a choise, get up."

Giving a growl of frustration, Odd took his covers off and got out of bed.

'_Oh yeah, this guy was deffinetly not a morning person…' _Ulrich thought as he watched Odd slump across the room in his sweatpants and tshirt and hair all a mess.

/

The shower rooms were steamy and busy with other boarding students when Aelita got out of the shower. Going over to the mirror to brush her short hair, she overheard a familiar voice.

"…ring in his lip and he makes fun of _me_. Seriously? And I'm pretty sure I saw a tongue ring as well…"

"I know Sissi…" another voice chimed in to the conversation.

Then, in the reflection behind her she saw the two girls come into view. So, trying to be non-chalant, she took her make up out of her bag and started applying it.

"He is pretty cute though, you have to admit." The brown-haired girl beside her said as they got to a mirror at the other end of the counter as Aelita.

"_Cute?_" Sissi spat as if it were the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "He's not cute! He looks like he belongs in jail or something!"

"Oh come on Sissi…"

"No, I can't stand trash. And especially in _my_ school!" she kept on stubbornly.

Aelita continued listening, hoping that they weren't talking about who she thought they were talking about.

"And for Ulrich, my precious Ulrich, to be hanging around with such no good, dirty, trailer trash just won't fly with me. He needs to be protected from such people! Or…things, or creatures or whatever you want to call him."

At this, her friend laughed. "Oh yeah? And how do you figure you're going to 'protect' Ulrich?" Putting quotations on the, protect, she looked at her curiously.

Aelita wondered the exact same, this person, whoever it was they were talking about, how on earth was Sissi supposed to keep Ulrich from his friend? Especially when Ulrich didn't even like Sissi. Not only that, he couldn't stand her.

"Oh, I know my ways of keeping low-lives in their place." The prissy girl said as she took out a brush and waved it around smartly. "And Odd Dellarobia is, by far, a low-live. And I just won't have him in my school and enjoying it."

/

Ulrich was already out of the shower and pulling on his dark blue jeans when Odd came into view. Already partially dressed with dark blue, and slightly faded jeans on. And to add on to it, a black and white studded belt on his waist, but was apparently, not keeping his pants up in the least. He was about to walk to the mirrors when he realized something.

"Aw damnit!" he said still facing the mirrors.

"What?" Ulrich asked looking at him.

Odd turned around and faced Ulrich. "I forgot a shirt in the room."

"Well then go get one." The brunette boy said in a, duh, type of tone.

"I…forgot our room number." He replied.

"Room B288."

"I…also…forgot the key." Odd replied again sheepishly.

Ulrich sighed and took the key out of his pocket and tossed it to him.

"Thanks brah." he said, looping them on a finger and started walking for the door. And what Ulrich saw on his right arm surprised him greatly.

Right there, on the shoulder of his right arm, was a complicated swirly design. Of what, Ulrich wasen't sure what it was supposed to be.

"Um…" Ulrich started, but wasen't sure what to say. _'I don't want to just come right out and ask what it was. I wanted to say it in a bit of a less blunt way'_

"Hm?" Odd asked turning his head toward him.

"What is that?"

'_Damnit…'_

At this random question, Odd got a puzzled look on his face and looked around. Then down at himself, but still not seeing any problems, he looked back up at his friend. "What's what?"

"That." He said, gesturing to his arm.

"Ohhhh. Tattoo." Odd answered like it was no big deal.

He then continued walking out the door and opened it until Ulrich saw yet another one on the top part of his back, stretching from the back of one shoulder to the left. All across the top part of his back, another random design.

And he was going to comment on that one but didn't have the chance as the door closed behind the tattooed, blonde-headed boy.

/

Strolling down the hallway, Odd was looking at the different room numbers. Trying to find B288 while spinning the key around on his finger, until he felt someone run into him and knock him to the floor. His head landed with a painful thud on the carpet as a weight fell on top of him.

Closing his eyes from the pain in his head, he then opened them to see someone looking into his.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Odd…I was just…" Aelita said as she stumbled around looking for something to say.

"It's okay, no problem…" he said interrupting her talking.

"Are you okay?" she asked, still on top of him.

"Um, yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." The pink-haired girl replied.

The boy then looked around a bit awkwardly. "Um, do you think I could…maybe…get up now?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry…" she said as she got off of him.

But before she could get off of him, they heard an, ahem, from behind them.

Looking up from where she perched ontop of Odd, and Odd tipping his head back from his spot on the floor, they both saw a gruff, brown-haired man in gym clothes glaring at them.

"And just what do you think you're doing miss Stones?"

Standing up hurriedly and swishing off her pink, blousy, skinny strap shirt, she was blushing furiously. "Oh, um, nothing Gym. I was just walking and we then sort of just…ran into each other." She said as Odd stood up beside her.

"Mhm, yeah. And why were you here in the boys dorm area this early exactly?" the man labeled, 'Gym', asked.

"Well…uhh…umm…"

"She needed to borrow something for biology class today." Odd answered for her. Though it was a lie, because he really had no idea why she was here.

"Oh really? Then why didn't she just have you give it to her during class?" he questioned some more, crossing his arms.

"Because he forgets too easy. He's very forgetful." Aelita answered as Odd looked at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Is that so?" Gym asked as he continued staring down at them.

"Yeupp. That is so." Odd said crossing his arms across his chest.

Gym looked at the boy more properly now. At how he had attitude written all over his face, how his jeans were slightly more baggy then normal with a belt not even holding them up. How his boxers were showing, and how he had a tattoo on his right arm.

Oh yeah, this kid was deffinetly going to make the gym teacher's year more interesting. He could just tell.

"I just hope you both aren't doing that during gym today, or there's going to be trouble!" he scolded. "Now Aelita, out of the boy's hall so Odd can get properly dressed." He then turned and started walking down the hallway.

"He's our gym teacher?" Odd asked pointed with his thumb at the grumpy man now walking away from them.

"Yeah, he can be really cool sometimes though." Aelita answered, but she wasen't staring at his face. She was instead staring at the way he was…shirtless. And then realization hit her on how bad that had probably looked to Gym.

"Oh, um, sorry I was on top of you…shirtless." She apologized, tearing her eyes away from him.

She had to admit, for someone his age, he had a really nice body. _'Wait, what's wrong with me?'_

She'd never thought of anyone like that unless they were movie stars and shirtless. Not an actual boy that she knew.

Odd laughed at her silly apology. "No problem. I'm glad I was there to cushion your fall."

Glad that he haden't noticed the way she'd been gazing at him, she laughed as well.

"Do you know where room B288 is?" he then asked her.

"Oh, yeah. It's down…" she said as she looked up and down the hallway figuring it out. "this way…" she pointed behind her. "I'll show you."

"Oh thanks." Odd said as they began then walking down the hallway together toward him and Ulrich's dorm. When they arrived there, he put the key in the lock and unlocked the door.

When he walked in, Aelita stayed at the door way. She'd actually forgotten why she'd come to the boy's dorms in the first place.

Noticing that she was still there, Odd turned to her. "You can come in you know. I don't bite."

She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her as Odd pulled on a plain black shirt.

He looked much more pleasant today. He no longer had on a, 'bite me', shirt, no purple and black checkered skinny jeans. And no piercings in his face. His face looked much more smoothed out in a way. Yesterday, he'd had a look on his face almost as if he were daring anyone to make a move at him. Any move that could possibly threaten him or insult him in any way. But now, at this moment, he looked a bit more friendly.

"Do I have something on my face or somethin'?" he asked.

Aelita haden't noticed that she'd been staring at him. She blushed, embaressed. "Oh, no. Sorry, I wasen't trying to stare at you. I just sort of, fazed out."

Odd then turned and went to the computer desk and picked up something from the top and stuck it in his lip. Putting the metal stud back in place.

"You ready to go down to breakfast then?" he asked turning back to her and slipping on some white and black nikes that looked almost a size too big.

"Yeah! I'm starved, let's go!" she said as she opened the door and stepped out, Odd following.

/

In the cafeteria, Jeremy was already sitting. He was typing away at his laptop while he ate and drank coffee. The cafeteria was starting to fill up with more and more students. And to add on to those students, were one of his most favorite people in the world, and one of his least.

He heard the sound of Aelita's voice coming from outside and he looked out to see her walking with him. One of his now least favorite people.

They both walked up the steps to the door leading into the cafeteria, but Odd stepped in front of her and opened the door for her and bowed like a mock-gentlemen.

"After you princess…" he said as he bowed.

Giggling, Aelita walked through. "Thank you sir."

Jeremy shook his head and growled with annoyance. This kid was starting to get on his last nerve. If he kept flirting with Aelita, something was going to go down, and it wasen't going to be pretty.

/


	4. chapter 4

**I didn't really realize that it had been a week since I'd updated. But I'm updating now! Sooo...yay!**

**Thanks for the reviews. [:**

**;;;**

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 4**

"So, what were you doing in the boys hallways anyway Aelita?" Ulrich asked curiously after she'd told them how Odd had had his first Gym encounter.

Thinking for a moment, posing her fork at her mouth with egg on it. "Oh! Now I remember! I was going to Jeremy's room."

Jeremy looked up from his laptop and over at her beside him. "Oh, you remember?"

"Yeah, I guess I'd forgotten." she said shrugging and going back to her breakfast.

"You forgot?"

She looked at him quizically. "Yes? Why are you repeating everything I say?"

"I was just wondering what you were visiting me for in the first place." he said, liking the fact that she was going to see him. But not liking the fact that she'd ditched the idea for Odd. And that she'd forgotten that she was going to see him in the first place!

"I was just going to walk down to breakfast with you is all." she said in a no big deal type tone.

"Oh! Well, if that's all then." he said mimicking her no-big-deal tone.

But no one seemed to notice as Ulrich started a conversation with Odd. "So, I noticed you changed your hair this morning."

In fact he had, instead of the hair that was partly hidden under a beanie yesterday, today it was pointed, showing the purple spot.

Odd nodded and took a drink of the white mug he was holding. "Ew, you drink your coffee black?" Ulrich said looking at his mug in disgust.

Odd just shrugged. "It's good."

"But it tastes so...so..." Aelita said with an equally disgusted look.

"Good?"

"No! Nasty! Jeremy likes his black too, don't you Jer?" Ulrich said.

Jeremy nodded, and found this as another chance to compete. "I like mine super, extra, extra dark. So dark you can't even see the bottom of the mug."

Odd looked at him with a cocked brow and nodded. He'd noticed how quiet this kid got whenever he was around. So he was unsure of how to talk to him. He figured that the feeling was mutual with the other blonde kid. But he figured that he could try to communicate with the bitter boy.

"I like mine real dark too." he said.

"Yeah but...probably not as dark as me."

Odd gave him a quizical look. _'Is this guy competing with me?'_

"Really? Why don't have any right now."

"I...forgot to get some." he said. "I don't really feel like getting up but it does sound really good right now. Especially having it really, really, really dark. That sound so delicious."

Ulrich and Aelita were watching them talk back and forth, back and forth.

"Want a drink of mine?" Odd said pushin his mug toward the boy with glasses.

He looked at it with slight concern and regret of ever talking.

"Go on, I don't have cooties." Odd said, seeing the expression Jeremy's face.

Then, getting a cocky look on his face again, he picked up the mug. "Alright."

And then, taking a sip, his eyes automatically got wide as he set the mug back down. And his face contorted into a strange expression of disgust and surprised mixed together. And then, a mix of pain.

"Jeremy? Are…are you okay?" Aelita asked with concern.

He then swallowed and his eyes got slightly watery as he then gasped for air and choked a bit. And Odd picked his mug up again like there wasen't a gasping boy across from him and took a sip from it. Aelita was patting Jeremy on the back as he continued gasping and coughing.

"I guess we don't like the same amount of strongness in coffee." He then said simply as Jeremy then started drinking madly from his glass of orange juice.

"Odd Dellarobia." A voice then said from beside the table. They all looked up, except Jeremy who then put his empty glass down. "That was freaking hot…" he gasped.

The principle was standing by their table. "Someone is here to see you, he's standing right outside the cafeteria. I suggest you don't keep him waiting." He then walked away.

They all four looked out to see a huge african-american man standing and looking through the window at them. Odd then looked back down at the table. "Oh Bubbles…" he muttered.

"Bubbles?" Ulrich asked. "Odd, who is that?"

"Bubbles." He answered simply and then stood up and walked away from the table.

They all watched him go outside and stand with the giant man that was obviously a body builder. And they watched them talk, but could'nt hear anything.

"Who do you suppose that is?" Aelita asked as she turned back to the table.

Ulrich shrugged. "Well according to Odd, it's bubbles. Whatever that means."

"Whoever he is, I hope he punches him in the face or something." Jeremy said angrily.

"Jeremy! Why on earth would you say that?" Aelita asked, surprised that he'd even say that.

"Umm, helloo? He burnt my tongue! And practically choked me with the strongness of that coffee…"

"That was your own fault buddy." Ulrich pointed out.

"Yeah, you were totally competing with him! Why, I'm not sure." Aelita said, scowling. "You know, you've been acting kindove off since he showed up, what's up with you?"

"What's up with me? I don't like him! I mean, have you _seen _him? He's obviously here because he didn't belong in the last place he was at, or he just got kicked out. Or both."

"Jeremy." Aelita said stricly. "His personal life is no business of ours. So what if he's different? He's nice, and friendly, and…"

"Nothing but trouble?" Jeremy interrupted. "I'm warning you guys, if you become closer with him, he's going to be nothing but trouble."

"You don't know what you're talking about Jeremy!" Ulrich said, defending his new friend. "You haven't even tried to get to know him."

The boy didn't answer, he just closed his laptop and stood up. "Whatever, if you guys want to continue defending some loser with obviously some type of psychological problem, then that's fine with me. You have fun with that. But I'm not wasting my time!"

"Jeremy, wait!" Aelita said, she deffinetly did not want him to leave on a bad note. No matter how ridiculous he was being. Jeremy stopped walking, but didn't turn back around.

"Can't you just…try to get to know him? Please? For me?"

He sighed angrily. "Fine. Now are we going to class or what?"

Aelita smiled as she leaped up from her chair and went over and gave Jeremy a hug. "Oh thank you Jeremy! Won't it be great to have a new addition to our little group of friendship?"

"Yeah, sure…" Jeremy muttered.

;;;

When they reached the classroom, they noticed Odd outside, talking to the giant man again. "Hey Odd! Who's your friend?" Ulrich asked walking up beside him with Aelita and Jeremy.

"Oh, hey guys…this is…Mr. Bubbles…"

Ulrich and Jeremy snickered at the name, thinking that he was kidding around. But then they saw the look on the man's face, and they then turned to Odd, still smiling. But Odd waved his hand across his throat in the, cut-it-out, motion as he shook his head. This shut them up and wiped the smiles off their faces.

"Nice to meet you, um, Mr. Bubbles…" They said in unison.

Once in the classroom, Odd, Aelita, Ulrich, and Jeremy were sitting in their seats from the day before.

"What do you have a parole officer for?" Jeremy asked Odd, who was been looking out the window, spacing out.

The three looked at him, waiting for an answer but didn't get one. They looked at each other in confusion. "Um…hello? Earth to Odd!" Aelita said, but still not getting his attention.

"Yo, Dellarobia!" Ulrich said loudly.

This snapped him out of his daze. "Hm? What?" he said looking at them.

"What the heck was that? You just like, spaced out." He asked.

Odd just shrugged and looked at the table.

"Jeremy asked why you had a parole officer." Aelita said. But he didn't acknowledge her. "So?" she tried again.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." He snapped, obviously bothered by their pushiness.

This shut them all up, putting them in an awkward silence as Odd stared out the window again. But thankfully, the teacher walked in, and started the lesson.

Another rule of Odd Dellarobia's: Don't be so pushy.

;;;

**Keep and eye out, because I might update again tonight. ;D Hooooorah!**

**Sorry for the short chapter btw….and sorry that this is going slow at first. I'm going to try and speed it up though in the next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Normally, I have a little thing to say here…but I don't…sooooo…**

**Enjoy the 5****th**** chapter!**

**;;;**

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 5**

It had been two months since the first day of school. And there had been no problems with Jeremy and Odd since Ulrich and Aelita's talk with the straight A student. But that didn't mean that he trusted him.

A hot day, with the sun rays shining down with few white, fluffy clouds in the sky on this Friday. And the kids were stampeding out of the classes, ready for the weekend that had finally come.

Odd, Ulrich, Aelita, Jeremy, and Yumi were all walking out of gym class, sweat eminent on their skin. Much to Gym's dissapointment, they had all somehow managed to get in the same classes together.

"Why is it so freaking hot!" Odd exclaimed loudly as sweat was beading on his forehead.

Aelita then belted out a loud roar of frustration, imitating Odd's. He smiled at her and they laughed at how ridiculous she'd sounded.

"I'm up for ice cream. Anyone else?" Ulrich asked, he asked as he fanned himself with his white tshirt.

They all agreed in unison as they began to walk into town, they had dropped their bags off in the dorms before gym class so they wouldn't have to carry them.

In the middle of town, they were all gasping with the heat shining down on them.

"Dude, I don't care who stares at me. I'm about to take off my shirt, I'm tired of fanning myself with it. It ain't working anymore." Odd gasped as he continued fanning himself with his band tee that he was wearing. The teachers had complained to him earlier about it because they thought it wasen't appropriate for school. And it wasen't. A Bob Dylan shirt with him giving the bird to anyone who looked at it, was not school appropriate at all, but he refused to change, so they just let him off with a warning.

"I think I'm with you on that good buddy." Ulrich said as he wiped his face with his shirt.

"You with us Jer?" Odd asked looking at him.

Jeremy looked at him with shock, as if he were surprised that he'd ask such a ridiculous question.

"Um, no. I don't think so." He said, making Odd laugh at how uncomfortable he sounded with the question.

But luckily, they didn't have to take their shirts off, because they had then arrived at the ice cream shop. And they all stormed in, alerting the people in there of there desperate wants for cold air.

All rushing up to the counter, the person behind it stared at them in alarm. "Um…can I…help you?" he asked, giving them a curious look.

"Bottle of water, and a medium cup of cookie dough, chocolate ice cream." Odd said fast. "Now if you don't excuse me, I'm going to stand under the air vent." And with that he hurriedly rushed away.

"Ditto." Aelita said and then rushed over to a table by where Odd was standing under the air vent looking relieved.

"Oh shoot!" Yumi said, looking around in her pockets. "I forgot my money in my bookbag!"

"Oh, that's okay. I'll pay for you Yumi." Ulrich said as he got his wallet back out and took out a five dollar bill.

"Thanks Ulrich! I'll pay you back-"

"Nope. It's on me." He interrupted her as the cashier handed him his change.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." She said as she smiled.

"No problem." He answered as he handed her her own cone of ice cream. She thanked him again with a smile.

Oh how Ulrich loved her smile. He thought she was beautiful, and her smile just lit up her face. He couldn't help but smile as well.

"Hey Yumi…I was just wondering, do you-"

"Hey! Lover birds!" he was interrupted by a shout from across the room. And that particular comment made them both blush. And that shout just happened to come from his new spiky-haired friend. "Are we going to have to drag you over here or what?" Jeremie and Aelita were snickering behind their ice creams at the reaction on both Ulrich's and Yumi's faces.

They hurried over, avoiding the gazes of the other ones staring at them in the shop. And Ulrich heard a table with an elerdly couple that he passed by mutter, "Aw, remember when we were that age? So ready to fall in love?"

And that just made Ulrich blush even more. So by the time he got to the table, he was as red as a cherry. And his friends didn't fail to point it out. "You look like a cherry." Jeremie said, raising a brow.

"Thank you, Jeremie. Go away now." Ulrich grumbled, hunched over.

Odd and Aelita laughed as they watched Ulrich's reddness fade away slowly.

"What were you going to ask me Ulrich?" Yumi then asked as she began eating her ice cream.

"Oh, um. It was nothing really…"

But Yumi didn't believe him. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I forget anyway." Ulrich said, trying to end the conversation.

"Okay, well if you're sure…" Yumi said, still looking at him curiously. But she could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so she turned away and ended the conversation at that.

"Will you guys stop laughing?" Ulrich asked loud and annoyed as he turned on Odd and Aelita, who haden't stopped laughing from before.

"Sorry good buddy. I'd just never seen you blush like that before." Odd said as he was still laughing.

"Oh yeah? At least I have the ability to be embaressed. You however somehow don't." Ulrich said.

Odd merely shrugged, still smiling.

Then, noticing some kids that appeared to be around their age walked by the window. They were both in shabby-type clothes, hair that needed cut, and cigarettes in their hands. They looked in, appearing to be contemplating on stopping in when they then started waving stupidly at them, since they had one of the window tables.

"Um, what are they doing?" Yumi asked, staring at them like they were stupid.

"I don't…" Jeremy started to answer but stopped when he saw Odd waving back at them.

The two boys then motioned to their hands with the cigarettes in them and raised their brows. But Odd shook his head, and mouthed a, "Maybe later."

The two boys mouthed an, "Alright." Back and walked back down the street.

Odd turned back to the table like nothing had even happened. But his friends continued staring at him. When he finally noticed that no one was talking and he was being looked at, he spoke. "What?"

"You know them?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah. I met them a few weeks back when I was in town."

"What…what were they asking you?" Aelita asked in an almost low voice.

Odd shrugged. "Just if I wanted to hang out."

They all looked at eachother uncertaintly except for Odd, who looked at his phone and rolled his eyes. He started texting away and then flipped it shut. "Um, hey guys, do you mind if I catch you guys later?"

"Where are you going?" Ulrich asked as Odd got up.

"I gotta go meet Bubbles somewhere. Later." And with that, he walked out of the ice cream shop.

;;;

Odd was walking past an alleyway when he heard a, psst, coming from it. Stopping and turning his head, he saw his two friends from earlier in one of the alleyways, eyes as red and breath smelling of smoke.

"You want a hit bro?" the one by the name of, Vince, asked.

"I gotta meet my parole officer, I can't ditch him or he'll be pissed. Sorry, maybe later." Odd said as he started to walk away again.

"Aw, come on man, just one hit." His other friend, James, tried.

'_One. Just one.' _Odd thought as he stepped into the alleyway, rolled a blunt and smoked it.

He'd done it before. Many times before in fact, that's partly what got him in the situation he was in in the first place.

But it wasen't just one that he agreed to smoke, there was more than that. Leaving all of their eyes as red as the falling sun. And his parole officer wondering where he was, along with his friends.

;;;

**And also, I think you should know, that I'm making Yumi in the same grade as the rest of them. And I might add a rule to this chapter later.**


	6. Chapter 6

"**When life gives you lemons, squeeze it in someone's eye and hall ass!"**

"**For every beauty, there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth, there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love, there is a heart somewhere to receive it."**

**Yeupp, quotes. [: I love them, but they aren't by me! I looked them up.**

**So I don't own them, or Code Lyoko. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that and I don't feel like going back to check.**

**Song I used for the ringtone is, Wanted Dred And Alive by Peter Tosh. Which I do not own either.**

**;;;**

**Out Of Place **

**Chapter 6**

"Where could he be?" Aelita asked with concern as she looked at the clock again. It read 7:30, and due to the summer time, it wasen't quite dark yet, but it was sunset and would be dark soon.

They had been sitting in Aelita's room for an hour, and none of them knew where Odd was. He wouldn't answer his phone, and they'd seen Mr. Bubbles earlier. He had asked them where he was, and they'd told him that they thought he was with him. And they could tell by the look on his face, that he was not happy at all.

"I don't know. But I'm starting to get worried." Yumi said, concern etched on her face as well.

Jeremy sighed in exasperation. "You guys! I'm sure he's fine. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

"I don't know though, he has been gone for a while. And he's not answering our calls or texts. Do you suppose we should go look for him?" Ulrich asked.

But Jeremy shook his head. "No, if we go looking for him, that will just make him think that we think he's not old enough to take care of himself. And I'm pretty sure he is old enough."

"Well, I'm going to call him again, just in case." Ulrich said as he picked up his phone from the bed and dialed Odd's number.

;;;

_**Said I'm wanted**_

_**Dread and alive**_

_**By the evil forces**_

_**Said I'm wanted**_

_**Dread and alive**_

_**Nowhere to hide**_

The cell phone ringtone rang while the three boys were walking along through the streets in town. The sunset shining radiant colors of pinks and orance mixed in with the darkness of the night sky expanding across the sky.

The ringtone interrupted their singing of, Electric Avenue, and they stopped singing and looked around for the new song that was playing.

"Dude, what is that?" Odd asked, looking around stupidly.

"I don't know…wait! It's coming from your…your…what's it called? Your…pocket." Vince said gesturing to Odd's baggy jeans pocket.

"Oh…right. Forgot that was my ringtone." He said as he took it out and flipped it open.

James laughed. "Dumbass…"

"Whoooo is iiiit?" Odd sang into the phone.

"Odd!" Ulrich's voice came from the other line. "Where the heck are you?"

"Oh, heyyyy Ulrich. Just, umm, ya know…walkin' the streets of the town." He answered lazily, smiling into the phone.

The other end was silent other then Ulrich telling the others that he was okay, just out and about.

"Well, you might want to get back soon, don't you think?"

Odd thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, no. Not really…well actually maybe soon. I don't know, I don't really care." He answered lazily as he watched Vince and James kick over a trashcan unnecessarily. Then, James went to kick over another but tripped and fell over onto the sidewalk in the process.

And with that, Vince and Odd laughed out loud. "You dumbass! What did you even trip over?" Vince shouted.

;;;

Ulrich listened from the other end as he heard the, what he thought was only Odd, laugh.

"Odd? Odd, who's that with you?" Ulrich asked.

"Oh, just vince and James. Them guys that you saw earlier on this fine day."

Everyone could hear the laughing going on on the other end. "What is that?" Aelita asked curiously.

"Listen Odd, you should get back here now before Gym finds out your out at night." Ulrich reprimanded him.

"Alright, alright. Chill out, I'm on my way."

And with that, he hung up with a beep.

"Well, he's coming back now. I don't know where he is though, he hung up before I could find out."

Jeremy sighed then, and just smiled to himself.

"What are you smiling at?" Ulrich asked, looking at him quizzically.

Jeremy shook his head. "I told you. I told you!"

"Told us what?" Aelita asked. She wasen't sure what he was talking about.

"I told you, this kid would be nothing but trouble. Did I not tell you this? I believe I did."

"Really, Jeremy? With this again?" Aelita said, aggravated. "You've been getting along with him fine these past months."

He shrugged. "That doesn't mean I trusted him anymore then I did the first day."

"Jeremy…" Yumi started to say. But she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Standing up, Aelita walked over and opened it to see Mr. Bubbles standing in the doorway. "Hello. I've just come by to ask if you have seen Odd at all yet? Or heard anything from him?" he asked in his deep voice.

They all looked at each other uncertaintly, unsure of whether to tell the truth or not or who should speak first. But Ulrich decided to speak first. "Um, we…no. No, we haven't heard from him or seen him."

Mr. Bubbles stared at him, almost as if seeing right through him. And his gaze was so threatening, it made Ulrich gulp in nervousness. The parole officer's piercing eyes were shooting daggers into his. "I don't believe you. I've had lots of training kids, I don't think you can fool me. Is Odd here?"

"No." Jeremy answered that time.

"Where is he?"

They all looked at each other again. Because really, they didn't know exactly where he was. They just knew that he was in town. "Well…um…he's…uh…" Aelita stuttered.

"In town." Jeremy answered.

Ulrich glared at him, but Jeremy didn't look over at his friend though he knew of the glares being shot his way.

"In town? At this hour?" Mr. Bubbles stood silently, almost seemingly pondering that statement. "And do you have any idea what he could possibly be doing there all alone?"

"He's not alone. Nope, he's with some other friends of his. Appeared to be about age 18." Jeremy answered again and Ulrich closed his eyes, not even wanting to imagine the punishment Odd would get from his officer for this.

Mr. Bubbles's face got even more strict, if even possible. "Thank you children. I'll see you later." And with that, he slammed the door so hard, he was almost surprised it didn't break off the frame.

"Well I hope you're proud of yourself." Yumi spoke with venom.

Jeremy turned and looked at her with a face that showed he didn't care. "He had the right to know what Odd was doing and where he was."

"That's not what you were thinking. You just want him to get in trouble!" Aelita said.

"I think it's a little too late for that…" he replied in a low tone.

Yumi rolled her eyes and stood up. "Why do you have to be such a rotten friend Jeremy? What has he ever done to you?" she shouted. And then she stomped out the door.

"Yumi, wait!" Ulrich said as he stood up and hurried out after her.

It was now dark out, 8:00 and the japanese girl's curfew was at 9:30. Walking angrily across the courtyard she started heading home. Ulrich now walking along beside her.

"How could he be such a jerk?" she asked him.

"I don't know, he's been like this since the beginning of the school year. It's weird." Ulrich answered.

Yumi shook her head. "You want to know what I think? I think he's jealous."

"Jealous?" he questioned. "How so?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" she scoffed. "Aelita and Odd have become pretty close since he's been here. And he's now part of our group isn't he?"

"Yeah, and?"

"Come on Ulrich! Jeremy like, loves Aelita. And he wasen't exactly the coolest kid here when we met him. I think he just doesn't want us to ditch him."

Ulrich thought about it. And now that he actually did think about it, Aelita had been paying a lot of attention to the pointy-haired student, and he'd been paying a lot of attention to her. And it seemed also like they haden't been including Jeremy into the picture as much as they used to. Realizing this, Ulrich automatically felt bad.

"I think we owe him an apology." He then said after the silence that had taken place between them.

"What? Why?"

"Think about it Yumi, we've been paying less attention to Jeremy lately. So he's jealous of the attention Aelita's giving Odd sure. But what about the attention _we've_ been giving him?" Ulrich reasoned.

"So, what? We're just supposed to ignore Odd and act like he's not there? So we've met a kid that we really click with, why is that a problem?" she asked.

She wasen't getting what Ulrich was trying to tell her. So he explained somemore. "No, it's not that we shouldn't find new friends and be friends with him. It's just that we got…over excited I guess with having a new friend in the group is all. Think about it, haven't we been giving Jeremy less attention since Odd came into the picture?"

Yumi thought about it. And she then suddenly realized it too. "Oh…we _have _been somewhat ignoring him. Haven't we?"

Ulrich nodded. Yumi sighed then. They owed him for how they'd been acting for the past couple months. They weren't sure how they would make it up to him other then apologizing and then paying more attention to him while still having Odd in the group.

The brunette looked at the japanese girl. How the moon shone a small gleam on her short black hair, how it shone lightly on her tanned skin. She looked beautiful in her purposely-tattered and bleach stained shorts. And stunning in her black cami, layered with a yellow cami underneath. Of course, in his eyes, she looked beautifully stunning all the time. But he knew it wasen't just through his eyes, it was through others too. Ulrich knew William Dunbar was interested in her. But was unsure on whether she was interested in him. He hoped not.

"Hey, Yumi…" he started to say, getting nervous all over again.

She turned toward him. "Yes?"

"Um…I was just...w-wondering if you would like t-to-"

"Hold that thought!" she said putting a hand across his mouth.

Ulrich sighed. Damnit, plan foiled again.

"There's Odd!" she said, removing her hand from his mouth and pointing in front of them on the sidewalk.

And sure enough it was him. Striding along the sidewalk like he had all the time in the world. Cars passing and shining their car lights on him as they came in both directions on the road. But he didn't seem to notice his two friends standing a short distance away.

They both stood with their arms crossed, waiting for him to reach them. And when he finally did, he just kept walking. Going in between them and acting like they weren't there.

Yumi and Ulrich looked at him bewildered, then at each other. _'_"What the…Odd!" Ulrich shouted at him.

The said boy turned around and started looking around for the owner of the shout. "Earth to Odd! We're over here!" Yumi said, waving her arms.

'_How can he not see us? We're only a few feet away?'_

Even if it was night, that was no excuse. There were street lights and cars passing by in the street. There was absolutely no way that he couldn't see them.

But he just continued looking around, at anything but them.

Ulrich rolled his eyes and went over to him and grabbed his shoulders. "Dude, we're right here." He said making him face him.

"Ulrich?" he said squinting. "Oh, hey!"

He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, hey." He said as Yumi walked over to them.

"Yumi is here too?" Odd asked lazily, in which Yumi cocked an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips.

'_What the heck is up with this kid?'_

"Yes, Yumi, is here too." Ulrich answered.

Odd nodded looking at them both, but didn't say anything. There was an awkward silence between the three of them, no one was sure of what to say. Ulrich still unknowingly had his hands on Odd's shoulders still. He then realized that he smelt a certain smell, smoky yet not firewood smoke or cigarette smoke. It was a different smokey smell, and it was strong. Ulrich leaned forward and sniffed Odd, and then looked back up at him. But he was still just looking around at anything but his two friends.

But then Ulrich actually looked at his best friend's face, and then moved up to his eyes. There was something different about them. Though it was somewhat hard to tell because he kept looking around at everything but them.

"Mr. Bubbles was looking for you by the way Odd. And I think you're in huge trouble." Yumi said. "What were you do-"

But Ulrich put up a finger to silence her. And she stopped talking, noticing how Ulrich was looking at him.

"Odd…" he said seriously.

"Hm?" he quietioned lazily, eyes drooped tiredly.

Ulrich started making him walk backward into the light of a street lamp so he could see him better. But right before they got to the light, Odd stumbled backward and almost fell flat on his back if Ulrich haden't have gotten a better grip on his arms before he fell. In which, afterwards, the blonde-haired kid laughed stupidly, and snorted loudly with laughter.

"Odd! Are you okay?" Yumi asked beside him.

"Oh, he's fine." Ulrich said sternly. She looked over at the brunette, unsure of why he was acting like this and why he brought Odd over here in the first place.

"Odd…" he said seriously again.

"Hm?" he again also questioned, still smiling but eyes still dropped over.

Eyelids drooped over dilated eyes, which were also bloodshot. So bloodshot it was as plain as day. "Are you high?" he then asked.

They waited for an answer, but he just started laughing stupidly again. "Alright, that's enough answer I need." Ulrich said as he took his hands off of his friend's shoulder and looked at Yumi.

"What are we supposed to do now?" she asked.

Ulrich sighed as Odd, behind them walked over to the light pole and slumped down it until he was sitting on the concrete.

"Well, if we run into Gym or another teacher while he's like this, then he's pretty much screwed."

Yumi nodded. "Well, there's a chance that no one would even notice, even if we do run into somebody."

They then both looked over at their friend sitting on the pavement. He'd gotten out his phone and started texting on it but dropped it onto the sidewalk, causing the battery to fall out the back. "Aw man guys, I dropped my phone!" he shouted loudly and he picked it up then and tried putting the battery back in it, which wasen't quite working out for him.

Yumi and Ulrich turned back to each other. "Not a chance." They said in unison.

;;;

Aelita and Jeremy were still in her dorm. The pink-haired girl haden't really realized how she haden't been spending quality time with the blonde-haired boy lately. Which was strange to her, because she used to all the time.

They were just conversing about what they were learning in their classes and how they liked their school year so far.

"It's been awhile since we've spent just us time together Jeremy." She said as she sat cross-legged on her bed.

"I know, it has been awhile." He agreed as he sat beside her, leaning against the wall.

"What do you supposed Mr. Bubbles is going to do when him and Odd talk again?" she asked.

"I don't know…" Jeremy sighed. "Do you think I was in the wrong for telling him everything?"

The conversation paused at that for a moment until she started talking again. "I think that the reason you did it was wrong. But…I don't really know…"

Sitting up away from the wall, Jeremy asked, "What do you mean, the reason I did it?"

"Just what Yumi said. I think you did it because you just wanted him to get in trouble. It's not because you cared or anything."

"I think he needs some discipline. So what?"

"But that's not your job to discipline him Jeremy." She reasoned with him.

"Well, his parents obviously don't. The teachers do, but does that do anything? No." he scoffed at her.

Aelita looked down at the floor. She didn't want to argue about this. And just then, Aelita's cell phone rang, playing a techno song.

Looking at the caller ID, she saw Yumi and Aelita's faces on the screen, and underneath the picture read, Yumi.

"Hello?" she answered.

;;;

"Hey, Aelita. We've got Odd and we're heading back to the dorms." Yumi said into the phone as Ulrich was helping Odd up from the ground since he was stumbling all over the place.

"Oh, good!" she said relieved.

"Yeah, it's just peachy." Yumi said rolling her eyes.

Catching the tone in her voice, Aelita got concerned again. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough when we get back." She said as she turned to her two guy friends and they started walking back to the school, the messed up one in the middle and Ulrich and Yumi walking on either side of him. He'd seemed to have found his footing momentarily.

"Wait, won't it be past your curfew though?" Aelita asked as she looked at the clock that read 9:15.

"Yeah, but I called my parents and said I'd be later then that because I had a…" she looked at Odd who pointed obviously at to two couples making out on a bench. He laughed at them loudly for a reason unknown, causing them to break apart and stare at him.

"…friend issue I had to take care of." She muttered into the phone as she hid her face from the couples giving them dissaproving glares.

Once at the school, they managed to sneak back into the school with only a small peep coming from the giggly boy that they were dragging along. But the small peep was actually a loud one as he fell on the stairs in one of the stair wells and started laughing loudly.

Stumbling into Ulrich and Odd's room, they shut the door immediately. And which Odd got on the bed right away and layed down on his back and started working with his phone again, trying to get the battery back in it.

"This isn't working out you guys…" he whispered as he focused on his phone.

"What isn't working?" Yumi asked, also whispering, though she wasen't sure why.

"My phone is b-r-o-c-k. Broke." He whispered to her.

And then, the black-haired girl couldn't help it, she started laughing at him. In which, Ulrich turned to her, he gotten sweatpants out of his drawers and a fresh t-shirt, ready to go to bed. "What are you laughing at?"

But she couldn't stop laughing as she pointed at her friend on the bed, who was still fiddling with his phone.

"Yumi! This is no laughing matter!" he scolded her.

"Sorry! Sorry!" she said as she stopped laughing and went to sit on Ulrich's bed, but continued to look at her crazy friend across the room from her.

"I think I need help." He whispered, looking over at her.

She sighed. "Okay, hand it here." She said as she stood up and reached out a hand to take it.

"Huh?" he asked, looking at her with confusion.

"You just said that you needed help with your phone."

But he just waved her off. "No, I didn't. I got it." He answered, no longer whispering.

"Alrighty then…" she said as she sat down again on Ulrich's bed.

"I'll be right back. Keep an eye on him will you?" Ulrich said as he went to the door with his toothbrush and clothes.

;;;

Aelita and Jeremy, having gotten a text from Yumi to meet them in Ulrich's room if they wanted, were walking down the boy's upstairs hallway. When they got to the right door, they knocked.

There was a hesitation, and then the door opened and closed as soon as they stepped inside.

The two friends walked in to see their friend on his bed, messing with his phone.

"Odd! You worried me!" Aelita said as she sat down on the floor beside him.

But then, unexpectantly, Odd just reached over with his hand and patted her on the head. "Umm, what are you doing?" she asked.

His hand fell off her head and went back to his phone. "Soft hair."

Jeremy looked at him with confusion, along with Aelita. "Thanks…" she said and then looked over at Yumi.

"Well, he's apparently smoked some ganja. Probably from his friends from the ice cream shop." She answered Aelita's questioning look.

Aelita gasped and turned to Odd. "Is that true Odd?"

"Yumi!" he then said loudly, not answering Aelita. "I need help."

"You said that earlier and then changed your mind."

"No, I didn't." he defended himself.

"Yes you did."

"I need h-a-l-p." he incorrectly spelled out another word.

"Halp?" Jeremy said.

"Yes." He whispered then as he handed Jeremy his phone but dropped it.

Jeremy picked it up and put the battery back in the back simply, turned it on, and handed it back to him.

"Yay!" Odd cheered as he took his phone back. "You're smart, real smart Jer Jer, are you aware?"

"Um, yeah." Jeremy answered uncertaintly.

Odd then started snort-laughing again. "That rhymed. Jer Jer aware."

Unsure of how this was so funny, and how much Odd was laughing, Aelita and Yumi couldn't help it, they started laughing as well. And soon enough, the whole room was full of laughing people, except Jeremy that is.

Ulrich walked in then to see Jeremy in the computer chair, Aelita on the floor by Odd's bed, and Yumi still where he'd left her. But the only thing different about her was that she was laughing again. And with Aelita as well.

"What could you guys possibly be laughing at at a time like this?" he demanded as he shut the door behind him. Shutting Yumi and Aelita both up immediately.

"Ulrich, Ulrich, rhymes with tulrich." Odd sang as he poked his best friend in the leg from where he still lay on the bed.

And with that, the two girls started busting out laughing again. And Ulrich couldn't help it as a smiled appeared on his lips and he started laughing as well. They were concerned about the problem sure, but they could talk about it tomorrow.

As another one of Odd's rules unfolds: Sometimes in a bad situation, laughing can make it all better.

;;;


	7. Chapter 7

"**Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present." –Lil Wayne**

"**I did not hit you…I simply high-fived your face." –Unknown**

**Batches of quotes for all! Enjoy them. [: Just like this chapter….**

**;;;**

**Out Of Place **

**Chapter 7**

"When do you think…?"

"Don't know…"

"He's a really sound sleeper…"

"I know right…hard to get up like every morning…"

"…eally?"

"…eah…like a drama queen in the morning I'm telling you…"

Voices, low voices of whispering and some laughter. Male and female voices, mixed with the faint sound of birds chirping outside. And the smell of shampoo, cologne and coffee, all mixed in one room. But there was also another smell, the strongest smell of all.

Cracking his eyes open barely, light immediately closed his eyes again and brought his hands up to rub the sleep from them with the bottom palms of his hands.

"Hey, I think he woke up…" he heard a whisper that belonged to Aelita.

Removing his hands from his eyes, he looked over beside him, and he now knew what the smell belonged to.

Coffee on a tray resting on stand-up legs right by his bed. Still steaming which proved that it must have just been put there.

He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes again, still not completely awake. His hair still standing up but a mess all over his head.

"See? I told you the smell of coffee would wake him up." Ulrich smirked.

"Good morning sleepy head!" Aelita said happily as she watched him rub his eyes more. Once he removed them he mumbled a good morning back, squinting across the room trying to see the time.

"What time is it?" he asked in a tired, raspy voice.

"Ten oclock." Jeremy answered, who was perched on his usual desk seat. "That coffee is yours by the way."

Odd looked at it with tired eyes but didn't move for it as he saw his friends watch him. And the more they watched him, the more uncomfortable he felt. "What?" he snapped, annoyed.

Ulrich held up his hands in a surrender way. "Nothing, nothing."

Odd then got slowly out of bed and shuffled across the room and went to find a change a clothes. But he then noticed his sweatpants that he'd slept in the night before hanging on the back of the chair Jeremy was sitting in. "Dude, why did I not change last night?" he asked.

"Well…basically…you were blazed out of your mind last night." Jeremy answered.

"What?" Odd asked in an aggravated tone.

Ulrich then explained some more. "You were geeked, trashed, baked, fried-"

"Alright, alright I got it." Odd interrupted. "So…when did I get back?"

Then Yumi started talking. "Well…me and Ulrich pretty much helped you back to the dorms around 9:30."

"I thought your curfew was at 9:30?" he asked.

"Yeah, well…I asked if I could have extra time. I had to help keep an eye on you so…"

"Shit…" he muttered. "I'm sorry guys. I got completely out of hand…"

"Actually…" Aelita said. "you weren't necessarily _completely _out of hand. More like, slumpy and tired and giggly."

Odd scratched his head as if trying to remember. "Where's my phone?" he said as he looked back toward his bed. "Thanks for fixing it by the way last night Jeremy."

"No problem. Nothing's too difficult for the Jer Jer." He said smiling.

Aelita and Yumi then started laughing. "Are you aware?" Aelita asked, still laughing.

Odd looked over at them with a confused look and shook his head as he picked up the steaming mug of coffee and sat down on his bed.

"Ulrich, Ulrich…" the brunette started singing, mimicking Odd's voice.

"Rhymes with tulrich…" Yumi finished, and they all started laughing again. Even Jeremy laugheda bit at the confused expression on Odd's face.

"I'm not sure what you guys are talking about. But I'll probably remember later, and I'm guessing it has something to do with me." He muttered as he got his stuff together and went opened the dorm room door. Leaving his friends laughing behind him.

After showering, he was dressed in grey and black checkered gray skinny jeans, but still baggy despite. And a Psychopathic Records T-shirt, already wearing his black and red etnies from his first day, which were quite tattered from being worn many times.

While fixing his hair the way it had been, up to the point with the usual purple spot, he noticed someone staring at him from behind him in the mirror reflection. A kid from his science class by the name of Nicholas. Moving his eyes away from the awkward eye contact, he looked down at the sink.

'_How could I have given in so easily? I told myself that I'd stop and get better so I could see her again.'_

Thinking back then on how he was supposed to meet his parole officer that night, he closed his eyes in frustration as his hands clenched hard on the counter.

"Damnit…" he breathed in anger. Anger at himself, anger at the ones who'd given the drugs to him in the first place. And little did his friends know, it wasen't just the weed. Oh no, it was something else as well.

Little purple pills, containing bright colored powder. Hallucinogens, he'd told himself he would'nt use them again, but of course he gave in.

'_How could I have done that instead of gone to see the officer like I was supposed to?'_

Knowing Mr. Bubbles, there was probably a huge punishment waiting for him once that body builder found him.

_2 years ago, 13 years old almost 14, Greenville, Alabama_

"_No." _

"_No?" the officer asked with a cocked brow as he sat on the sofa in a small, shabby living room. The smell in the air was that of cigarrette smoke and cotton candy. Explained by the woman standing in front of them._

"_Yeah, no. I refuse to go anywhere." The purple-haired lady said in a serious tone. Her glare piercing into the man across from her as she stood with her arms crossed, a cigarette in one of her fingers._

"_I'm afriad you have to maam. It's for the best." The other officer said, coming to his fellow officer's aid._

_And at this, she turned on him then. "You expect me…to give him up? He's all I got left. You can't take him from me you sons of-"_

"_All you have to do, is go there until you get better, than you could have him back." The officer reasoned by the name of Paul Richardson._

"_I don't want you to say I'd, __**possibly**__, get him back. I want a guarantee!" she shouted at him._

"_We can't guarantee that unless you follow through with the rules in order to get him back. If he continues living like this he'll surely-"_

"_Don't even begin to talk about my parenting like that!" she snapped back._

"_I wasen't-"_

"_Oh yes you were. And don't even try to tell me otherwise." The angry, purple-haired woman said. Her hair was a messy disheveled bun with a pink bandana over top, wearing sweatpants that were very baggy along with a shirt that looked to be a couple sizes too big. Making her frame look even skinnier than usual._

_The officers sat quietly, they wanted her to calm down before they continued any further. But they didn't want to sit there all day and they feared that that's how long it would take._

"_You are aware that we've given your son too many chances. Something more has to be done. No more boot camps, no more few hours in jail. Something more needs to be done." The other officer said, by the name of Bob Herrick._

"_I don't think you heard what I said. Me and my son aren't going anywh-"_

"_Wherever you guys are planning on taking me, I'll just end of finding my way back. You know that right?"_

_A voice interrupted the untidy woman and the two officers conversation. The woman looked up and the officers looked over their shoulders to see that the voice belonged to a blonde-haired teen with a purple spot in the middle of his hair. Wearing a green, checkered plaid shirt to match with black skinny jeans. Along with his lip ring on his bottom lip. And his face was pulled into a scowl._

'_Oh yeah, these two are deffinetly mother and son…' Bob Herrick thought as he looked from the boy to the woman. Both glares shared equal venom at the two men standing in their house. In their eyes, they were in the wrong here. And in their minds, they thought that no one was going to make them budge from their spot. _

_Boy were they wrong…_

"_Alright, here's how it's going to go down…" Paul said as he stood up along with his fellow officer._

"_Oh, I'd love to here this shit." Odd said as he crossed his arms over his chest and his mom snickered. _

_Taking a deep breath to calm his anger from boiling in him, he started talking again. "If you two don't cooperate, then we're just going to have to make you leave by force. Whether it comes to either leading you out pleasantly…" he then strolled over to the boy and leaned down so if face was up close to his. "…or dragging you out kicking and screaming. Take your pick."_

"_How about this…" the woman said from behind him. "Either you back the hell away from my son and get out of his face, or I beat the shit out of you until you do."_

_At this, the officers got out their handcuffs. They weren't taking this anymore, talking to an officer like this was one thing. But refusing to do as they said was another. "Alright, that's it, say your goodbyes to each other. Turn her into her place, I bring this little trashbag to his place." He said to Bob._

"_And with that, Paul forcefully turned Odd around and pulled his hands behind his back and handcuffed him. And the other officer did the same to the woman._

"_What are you doing? Get off of me!" she shouted as she fought against the officer._

_Paul was dragging Odd out of the house, even as he fought and tried to kick the officer to let him go. _

"_You let him go now! Let go of my son!" Odd's mom shouted as she was brought out of the house by the other officer._

_Both driving separate cars, they were going to go to their different places right away. The purple-haired woman managed to get away from her officer though and, still handcuffed, ran over to where her son was being dragged to the police car. "Get off of me!" he was yelling at the man._

_The woman was almost to her son when she was tackled to the ground by the other officer as he then dragged her up from the ground. "Odd!" she screamed as he was shoved into the back of the police car and the door was slammed shut._

"_Guess we went with the kicking and screaming huh?" Paul said as he smirked and got in the drivers seat, turned his lights on and drove off. The lights shining the colors on the darkness around him, night had fallen a while ago. _

_The last thing Odd had heard from his mom that night was her screaming his name, almost as if expecting the officer to turn around and bring him right back._

_Present time_

"Odd?"

Hearing a voice from beside him, he opened his eyes and his mind broke away from his thoughts.

Turning his head, he saw the navy-haired kid that he'd seen a few times talking to Yumi. William Dunbar was his name, and even shared some conversations with him since he'd been attending school at Kadic.

"Um, yeah whats up?" he said, shaking his head abit.

"Are you okay? You sorta blanked out. I'd said your name like eight times."

"Oh, um, yeah. " Odd reassured him.

"Well, alright then. Do you have the notes for Mrs. Hertz's class?" William then asked.

Then getting a confused look on his face, Odd said, "But, you're not in that class. Why do you need them?"

"Oh! Nicholas wanted to know." He answered simply.

"Who?"

"Nicholas, over there." William pointed with his thumb over toward a kid with black hair and large glasses, and a kid with shaggy red-orange hair with a slumped sort of figure. They were talking but then when they noticed Odd looking at them, Nicholas's face got a scared sort of expression as he avoided eye contact immediately.

"Why doesn't he just ask me himself?" Odd asked, turning back to William.

"Well…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's sorta…well, scared of you."

The blonde-haired boy raised an eyebrow. "What does he think I'm going to do, bite him?"

William shrugged in response.

;;;

After going to breakfast/lunch, Yumi and Aelita went off for some quality girl time, while Odd, Ulrich, and Jeremy sat in the bleachers in front of the field that they do gym. All changed into more weather fitting clothes, Odd and Ulrich in long athletic shorts and t-shirts, Jeremy in casual, prep shorts and a t-shirt. Odd's shorts black and white Adidas, and Ulrich's green and white Adidas shorts.

"You guys haven't gotten very far on those." Jeremy pointed out to the two boys sitting on both sides of him.

This snapped them out of their day dreaming. They were both too busy watching the cheerleaders practice their routines as they jumped around in their short shorts and tiny tank tops.

"Hm?" They both asked in unison.

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Honestly guys, don't you think you should both be working on your reports for History?"

They both mumbled something that Jeremy didn't understand, he didn't think that they even knew what they'd just said either.

He sighed. "Guys, I don't want to have to help you both with-"

"Hey! Ulrich!" someone called. Some boys were walking over to them with a soccer ball under the calling out boy's arm. He had short, light brown hair, and he was wearing athletic clothes along with the rest of the boys with him.

"You want to play some soccer?" he asked as they stopped in front of them.

"Sure!" Ulrich said, jumping up, happy to have something new to do. "Either of you want to come along?" he then asked to his two friends.

Jeremy replied no as he continued concentrating on his report and Odd said no as well.

"You sure?" Ulrich asked, he didn't want to leave him behind.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You go have fun kiddo." He joked around, Ulrich shook his head and smiled as he began to walk away. But his soccer friend then said something.

"I think you should. You look like you'd be really good at sports."

"I haven't really played a legit sport before, never been on a team or anything really. So…" Odd started explaining.

"I don't care. Come on!" he encouraged him.

Having an almost uncertain look, Odd got up and walked down the bleachers to the two boys.

"So, you know the rules of the game?" the kid he didn't know asked.

Odd nodded. "Awesome." The boy said with enthusiasm. "And what's your name again? It's Odd right? Odd Dellarobia?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. I'm Jake, Jake Dawson." He said as he stuck out a hand.

Putting out his hand as well, Odd and Jake shook hands.

"Alright guys! New player!" he said, calling attention to the other eleven boys. "This is Odd Dellarobia." He announced.

They greeted him with heys, and hellos, and hi's.

"Alright, now lets pick our teams." Jake said. "Who wants to be captain?"

A boy raised his hand and ran over and Jake raised his hand as well. "Alright, so me and Lance will be captains so we choose."

"Ulrich." Jake said, pointing at him. "Lance?"

"I know how to choose teams Jake, I'm not stupid." He said matter of factly with his hands on his hips. And he then thought with a hand on his chin as he looked at the other players.

"So, where are you from?" A kid beside Odd asked him.

"Greenville."

"Oh, isn't that like twenty minutes away?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Soooo…why do you stay here as a boarding student?"

Odd didn't answer for a moment as he thought back to the flashing lights of the police cars and the shouting from two years before. "Long story." Was all he said. And right when the boy was about to say something else, he was interrupted by someone coming over and standing in front of the pointy-haired, blonde boy.

"Hm…" the one named Lance said as he looked Odd up and down. This causing Odd to raise an eyebrow in curiosity and annoyance. He didn't necessarily liked being looked up and down.

"Come on Lance…any day now…" Ulrich said, catching the look on his best friend's face.

"You certainly seem like a jocky type…" he said as he started walking slowly around the annoyed boy.

Odd crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked.

And then, Odd got a slap on the back from Lance, catching him off guard. "I like your attitude and build. You're in brotha!"

"So glad I passed the test…" he muttered as he walked over to the team captain.

Jeremy, Aelita, and Yumi watched as the boys played soccer. The girls had gotten there a few minutes earlier right in the middle of the game. The shouting and cheering of the players on the field were some of the loudest outside.

"I didn't know that Odd played soccer." Yumi stated as she watched him make a goal and Lance tackle him to the ground in a victory hug, followed by the rest of their team.

"Me neither." Aelita agreed. "You think he'd try out for the team with Ulrich?"

Yumi shrugged showing that she didn't know.

"Done!" Jeremy said in triumph as he shuffled his papers into a stack on his lap.

"With your history report?" Aelita asked.

"Uh huh. Five pages of A grade history."

"It only had to be two pages Einstein." Odd said as he walked over with Ulrich, still breathing hard from the game.

"Winning goal?" Yumi asked smiling.

Odd didn't answer but merely shrugged as he took a drink from the water bottle from earlier. "Ew, I hate drinking warm water."

"You only got that winning goal because I tripped." Ulrich said defensively.

Odd smiled at him. "Keep telling yourself that good buddy!"

"I don't even understand how you could have played in those shoes. They're falling apart!" Ulrich said.

He then looked down at his tattered, red and black shoes. "Yeah, I don't know either. But they work."

"Ahem." A loud voice said from the side of them. Looking over, they said Mr. Bubbles standing there with his arms crossed and his glare stabbing right into the one he was responsible for.

"Oh shit muffins…" Odd said as his eyes got wide and he dropped his water bottle.

"Oh shit muffins is right." He spat as he walked over to him. Glaring threateningly down as he towered over him. "Where were you last night? You were supposed to meet me."

Rubbing the back of his neck, he answered, "Oh, um, yeah…the funny thing is is that, I was actually at the school the whole time. I just forgot."

The giant african-american man then chuckled. "Oh really? You were at the school the whole time?"

Odd didn't answer just wringed his fingers at his side anxiously. He didn't like the sound of the sarcasm in his parole officer's voice. And neither did any of his friends watching the scene in front of them.

"That's not what I heard! I heard that you were in town!" he shouted loudly in his face.

The student mouthed wordlessly, unable to find words to say. But he didn't get the chance as he continued to get shouted at. "I am responsible for you! I am your parole officer! And if you expect to get what you want and your mother wants by doing what you're doing then you've got another thing coming! We expect that you do as I say, when I say it. And if you try any other funny business, then you'll be in even deeper shit then you can ever imagine!" he yelled at him. "Do I make myself clear?" he then said in a normal tone of voice, though still threatening.

Odd didn't answer, he just continued staring with wide eyes at the giant man leaning over him. He looked around awkwardly, there were people staring, including the ones from the soccer game.

"I said do I make myself clear?" he then shouted once more, snapping his attention away from the students and teachers watching.

"Y-yeah…" he replied.

But Mr. Bubbles wasen't pleased with this answer. He looked at him expectantly. And Odd sighed in exasperation. "Yes Mr. Bubbles."

"Good, that's what I thought…" he said as he stood up straight again. "Now drop and give me 80 push ups."

"What? Now? Here" Odd asked surprised.

"Yes, now and here, do it." He replied calmly.

"That's public humiliation, you know that right?"

"I said now!" the officer shouted loudly.

"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" Odd said putting his hands up in an, I surrender, way as he dropped down on the ground and started doing pushups.

Once he was done, Mr. Bubbbles, looking pleased, said a farewell and that he'd see him later on that day. And with that he walked away.

Odd, sitting on the ground with sweat beading on his face. "I'm surprised he didn't make me do one hundred eighty instead..." he breathed.

"I think it's a safe bet that you won't go off in town late at night again…" Jeremy then said from the bleachers as Aelita handed Odd her own water bottle for him to drink.

And with that, Odd turned and glared at him.

"Odd…what exactly was he talking about when he said, what you and your mother want?" Aelita asked timidly.

Not quite expecting this question, he didn't answer. He just looked out at the setting sun behind the trees. He knew he should thell them, they'd been friends for a few months now. But he just didn't want to talk about it, he didn't like to, to anyone.

"Odd?" she asked again as she sat beside him on the ground. "You can tell us anything, you know that right?"

He still didn't answer, just continued gazing out into the setting sun. The evening birds chirping their songs.

"I don't like to talk about it…" he then said finally.

Ulrich then came down and sat on Odd's other side. "You know, it's not good to keep things that are bothering you inside."

"What are you, a therapist?" Odd asked smirking at him.

Ulrich shrugged. "Maybe I am now."

Aelita poked him in the side. "Come on, tell us!" she said.

Odd then sighed. "I'm here because me and my mom were forcefully seperated. And they took her somewhere, and they brought me to two different foster homes. Both didn't last very long."

"Why did you have to be seperated?" Aelita asked in a low voice.

"I'd broken the law too many times. Or should I say, got caught too many times. They thought I'd had too many chances, I'd already been to boot camp once. Didn't do much, already went to some hours in jail, didn't do much either. So they decided to do foster care, thought my own mom wasen't good at parenting."

"Where did they take her?" Yumi asked.

Odd didn't answer. "I don't like talking about this guys…I think I'm just going to go on up to the dorms." He said standing up.

"Come on!" Aelita said as she stood up along with everybody else.

"Yeah, it can't be that bad. Just tell us." Ulrich said.

"No. I don't feel like talking about it. Just drop it." He said, starting to get very annoyed by now.

"Odd, if you don't tell us now, we'll just keeping bothering you until you do." Jeremy said matter of factly.

Instead of answering, he just started walking away from them. But they of course followed.

"You better tell us Odd." Yumi said from behind him.

"Yeah, like I said, we'll just keep bothering until you-" Jeremy started to say, but was interrupted as Odd whirled around on them.

"She was taken to a Drug Rehabilitation Facility okay?" he shouted at them angrily. "They seperated us two years ago and I haven't seen her since. They said that she has to get better and I have to start getting better grades and being a better person before either of us can see each other again alright?" Once he was finished shouting at them, there was a small silence.

"I'm sorry Odd…we didn't realize…we didn't know that-" Aelita started to say.

"No you didn't. But now you do." He snapped as he then turned furiously away and left his friends behind.

Another rule: Sometimes a person needs to shut up to make a person happy.

;;;

**I own no brands mentioned in this story. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 8**

_2 years ago, 13 years old almost 14, New York City_

"_So…you're the one I'm going to be taking care of, hm?"_

_The woman glared down at Odd like he was dirt at the bottom of her shoe. No doubt she didn't like him, so he didn't know why she wanted to take in kids that needed a place to live. Her name was, Veronica Fanzone._

_The officers had told him that she was new at it, that he was her first kid to take care of. So, she was unexperienced basically._

"_I can't hear you. Speak up. What's you're name?" She snapped. Her black, greasy hair was barely shining from the light that was letting off a very low glow._

_The house was a depressing, dimly lit, two story house. Nobody else lived there with this woman.  
_

"_Odd." He replied shortly._

"_Don't say your name with that ungrateful attitude boy." She spat at him. Then, looking him up and down with disgust she added, "You are odd aren't you?"_

_He didn't say anything. 'Original, she's using my name against me…' Odd thought._

"_Take your stuff upstairs, I don't want it crowding up my hallway. Your room is the first room right at the top of the stairs." She said as she then turned around and went into the living room to sit her plump-like body down in a chair. The television was on as she started watching it along with flipping out a lighter and lighting the cigarette that was now in her mouth._

_Looking at her with annoyance, Odd was confused on how she was supposed to make him any better. But not thinking about it anylonger, he picked up his one suitcase and duffel bag and brought everything upstairs with him to his room._

_Walking in and looking around, it was still dimly lit and the blinds to his one window were closed. Putting his stuff down, he went over and opened the blinds to see the city._

_Odd looked away and started unpacking his things then. Putting all his clothes in the drawers, he then heard a shout from downstairs. _

"_Boy! Get down here!" he heard the woman say loudly up the stairs._

_Going to the top of the stairs he looked down them. "What?" he asked._

"_Do you got any money on you?" she asked, still shouting. _

_A bit taken aback by the question, he replied, "No."_

_She let out a cry of frustration. "What good are you then? Go get a job."_

"_A…job?" he asked, confused at why she was demanding all these things from his so suddenly._

"_Yes…" she replied like he was stupid. "A job. You want to live here you gotta earn money for me. Now go get one."_

"_I don't want to live here…" he muttered._

"_Excuse me?" she snapped. _

"_Nothing…"_

_She then put her hands on her hips. "That's what I thought. Go get a job, now."_

"_You-you want me to get one now?" he asked._

"_Did I stutter? No, don't think so. Yes, go get a job now you moron." She said with the attitude that she'd been using with every word she said to him._

_Since it was fall, Odd went to get a jacket and then started walking down the stairs. Opening the front door, he felt the cold air rush all over him._

"_Oh yeah, while you're out…pick up some dinner." The woman said from her chair._

"_What do you want?" he asked._

"_I don't fucking know! Just pick something up!" she shouted at him._

'_I guess this is what I have to live with for a while. Or longer…' Odd thought as he walked off down the apartment hallway. _

…

_Present time_

Odd was sitting on a bench in town, he wasen't sure how long he'd been sitting there. He haden't looked at the clock, he had been sitting, lost in thought for a while now.

Thinking back to Veronica, he wondered what she was up to now. Not that he really cared, he still had a few scars from that woman. Mentally and physically.

…

Ulrich and Jeremy sat in the library. Ulrich working on his history essay, and Jeremy doing stuff on his laptop. "Do you think I should call him?" Ulrich asked, looking up from his writing.

"No." Jeremy replied for what felt like the thousandth time. Ulrich had been concerned for his friend since he'd walked off without of word of where he was going.

"But what if he's off getting in trouble again?" Ulrich asked.

"No." the blonde boy replied again.

"That doesn't even answer my question." He said.

Jeremy looked up over his laptop. "Ulrich, if he needed us then he would have called. Get off his back, I'm sure he's fine."

…

Having decided to walk instead of sit, Odd was now walking the streets of town. Hearing then the sound of someone crying made Odd turn his head.

He saw a little girl on the ground crying from having fallen and her parents helping comfort her. And how having a simple kiss to the spot that hurt made her feel better.

_2 years ago, 13 years old, almost 14, New York City, 2 months after arrival_

"_Boy! Get the hell down here!" _

_The usual angry shout that he heard every day came from downstairs. And as usual, he obeyed what she told him to do. He had denied doing what she said only a couple times before, and he'd gotten whooped on bad._

"_What?" he snapped. Just because he'd been following her orders doesn't mean he had to be nice about it._

"_You ain't going to school today, you gonna clean the house because I got girls coming over for tonight." She said as she was sitting in her usual chair. "You gonna clean and make dinner." _

_No question, no, "Can you please clean the apartment?, or, "Can you help me clean the apartment?" _

_Instead, it was him doing the cleaning, and her sitting in her chair, watching television and smoking like a chimney._

_But not argueing, Odd went to the chores for the day._

_An hour after school had gotten out, Odd had just finished cleaning, and he was now coming back from the grocery store with some bags in his hands. He saw a girl walking away from his door, she was holding papers. _

"_Oh, hello…" she said, she looked as if she was on the verge of tears as she looked at him. He knew her from school, they were pretty good friends, her name was Monica. _

"_Hey, Monica. What are you doing here?" he asked, noting the tears at the brim of her bottom eyelid._

"_Oh…I was-was just bringing you your s-school work for the day." She said as she handed them to her. "I'd come in with them since your hands are full but…" _

_Odd had a feeling that he knew what she was going to say._

"_The woman you live with seems to be in a-a horrible m-mood today." She said. "I'll see you at school." She said giving him a small smile and walking fast down the hallway to the steps to get back down to the apartment lobby._

_Opening the door and walking inside, he was surprised to see that Veronica wasen't in her usual chair. Closing the door, shutting out the hallway light to make it dark and gloomy again, he looked around curiously._

'_Where was she?' he thought as he walked through the apartment to the kitchen and set everything down._

_Then, starting to prepare the meal that he was having to make for Veronica and her friends, he turned on the stove with a skillet and took out food required for the recipes._

_But throughout the preparation of the meal, he still haden't seen or heard anything from the woman. Which was strange. _

_Once done frying the food from the skillet, he turned it off and then turned off the part of the stove with boiling water. _

_It was nice having a quiet evening without the yelling and insults._

_But he should have known that all the peace would end too soon than he would have liked._

_A door from upstairs slamming and stomping from the stairs could be heard as the loud footsteps then came into the kitchen._

"_What in the hell is wrong with you?" an angry voice from behind him said._

_Odd, who had been working on the homework Monica had brought by, while still working on dinner, answered without turning around or stopping his work. "What are you talking about?"_

_Since the only way he would be able to have his old life back was to do better in school and behave better, he was trying for the good grades. Desperately wanting to leave this depressing apartment._

"_I'm talking about you telling that dumb, goody-two-shoes hoe where I live!" Veronica snapped at him from the kitchen doorway._

"_I had to." He answered simply, her bad language and rude remarks had become almost natural to him by now_

"_You had to?" she asked as she stepped forward closer to him until she was beside him. "What the fuck do you mean, you had to?"_

"_We're required to give someone our address so we can get homework if we miss a day of-"  
"You don't need to do no damn homework!" she shouted at him. "I don't want that little perky hoebag of a girl coming by my place again, do you understand me?" _

"_I guess so." He answered._

"_No, you don't guess." She said as she then got close in his face. "You will obey." _

_Then, looking down at what he was writing on her face got even angrier. "What is that? What is that that you're writing on?" _

"_Homework." He answered._

"_I thought I said to fix dinner boy! Not do any stanking homework!" she said as she slapped the back of his head hard._

"_I missed school today because of you, so I have to catch up! And for your information, I've already got dinner most of the way done!" he shouted at her.  
_

_Bad move that was, she glared daggers at him dangerously. _

_At first, he thought that she wasen't going to do anything but stand there. But she then grabbed the skillet from the stove and clanged it hard on his head which knocked him to the floor. Where she continued beating him so hard it brought him over to the corner, where he lay trying to catch the breath he lost from being kicked multiple times in the stomach and ribs. _

_"Boy, you ain't going to learn anything that will make you any smarter than you are now. And that ain't smart at all. You're a dummy, you don't know shit, and you never will know shit so stop fucking trying. You ain't nothing but dirt at the bottom of my motha fuckin' shoe. You ain't worth nothin'. And you better not ever speak to me like that again or I'm goin' to bust you up like you ain't never been before. You think that beating was bad? You just wait, you just wait boy. You better watch your motha fuckin' mouth before I knock you out cold on this kitchen floor." She said getting down to his level and speaking in a low angered voice._

_He didn't answer as he stayed laying on the floor, he could feel blood dripping from his lip and a black eye forming from being kicked in the face a few times._

"_And I threw some of your shit out the window just for that little school girl comin' by my place by the way." She snapped as she walked out of the kitchen and left him on the floor._

…

Present time

Instead of someone that would help him feel better when he was down or hurt, the one responsible for him at that time was the one that caused all the pain and hurt.

The, turning and walking back to Kadic, Odd began to think about his outburst at his friends earlier. He shouldn't have snapped at them, he knew that. They were just curious, he probably would have been too.

And another thing he knew he shouldn't be doing was smoking. But he was doing that anyway, having gone into the woods, he now sat under a tree.

Leaning back against the trunk of the tree, he continued to smoke the pack in his pocket. He had gone back to the room after shouting at his friends, and grabbed a pack that he'd stashed in his room. He was only going to have one or two, he wanted to make sure of it this time. And it wasen't weed that he was smoking now, just a simple cigarette.

Feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket, he took it out and flipped it open to see a text message from Aelita saying, "Are you okay?"

He smiled after he read it, replying with a, "Yeah. I'm coming back to the school soon." Aelita wasen't who he'd figured he'd be becoming friends with when he'd first come there. The way she looked terrified when his seat was assigned next to hers on the first day. And the way she squeeled in fright when he simply asked her for a pencil. But she and him gradually became closer.

Another vibrate from his phone showed that he had another text message. Looking at hit, it read, "Well hurry up and get back! I'm bored and want to do something. Are you busy?"

And she knew to not question anymore on the subject that they were on earlier. Not at the moment anyway, he could expect to have to talk more about it tonight. Maybe then he'll try and be more calm and collected.

He replied with a, "No. We should hang out, I'm coming back now."

Shutting his phone then and putting it back in his pocket, he looked up at the trees that were blowing barely in the soft wind.

Aelita was wonderful, funny, fun. And beautiful. Oh, how Odd thought she was just absolutely beautiful. Her naturally pink hair had the perfect amount of shine, her smile glowed whether her lips were open or shut. If they were open while she was smiling, it showed off one of the most fantastically white, shiny smiles you'd probably ever seen. It reminded Odd of how a movie star's smile ought to look.

And her laugh, oh how he loved making her laugh. Whether intentional or not, he loved hearing and making her laugh.

Breaking his thoughts away from Aelita, he figured he should head back over to the school.

…

Aelita smiled at her most recent text from Odd. Saying that they should hang out made her excited. She always had so much fun whenever she was with him. And she'd spent a lot of time with him since he'd been here.

Sure, he was someone that she'd never even suspected she would become good friends with. Or even become friends with in general. But he had become someone that she enjoyed seeing everyday.

Whether it was him sleeping in class, getting in trouble or kicked out of class, it was just the fact that he was there and part of her day. But she hated whenever he got kicked out because then she wouldn't have the class period to spend with him.

Aelita loved it whenever her and Odd laughed together. Which was a lot. She loved Odd's laugh, how it was sometimes loud and yet sometimes soft. She loved his personality in general even though he played the, rough and tough card, she knew he could be a real softy underneath.

And not only was it his personality, but his looks were absolutely gorgeous. From his face to his hair, his hair was soft and the perfect shade of blonde. Along with the spot of purple that he said was natural, not dyed.

His body was how Aelita liked to describe it, sexy. And not just her, during a Gym class when they went to the pool, other girls saw his body and practically drooled over it with the tattoos and surprisingly perfectly fit body for such a young age. And the guys practically keeled over in awe and how they probably haden't even expected a body like that to be hidden under the clothes he usually wore.

'_Wait…what am I thinking? I like Jeremy…right?' _she thought to herself.

…

**I got ideas for the mean foster lady from the movie, Precious. **

**I've also been thinking that I want to change the name of this fanfic. So in case I do, I'm just telling you first.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 9**

"Now, what are three different types of rocks?" Mrs. Hertz asked her science class.

Being a Monday morning, no one responded except for a few raising their hands. And two of the few was Jeremy and Aelita whom were sitting next to each other, with their hands high in the air ready to show off their smarts. And the desk beside them was Odd and Ulrich, who was looking out the window and Odd, who was sleeping.

Looking around the room, setting eyes on two students with their hands raised, and then looking over at Jeremy and Aelita, she was about to choose when another student caught her eye.

"Ulrich? Do you know the answer?" Mrs. Hertz asked, but she didn't get a response from the daydreamer.

"Ulrich!" she said louder.

Ulrich stopped gazing out the window immediately then, looking at the look of annoyance on the teacher's face.

"Hm? What?" he asked, having been lost since the beginning of class, Ulrich had no clue what they were talking about.

"Do you know the answer to my question? What are three different types of rocks?" the gray-haired woman asked again.

"Um…" Ulrich felt like he'd learned this already, but he'd forgotten. "Judicial?"

The class laughed at his answer and Mrs. Hertz sighed. "I believe you're getting your history class mixed up with my science class Mr. Stern." She said condescendingly. "Let's see if Odd can help you. Odd?"

Not getting a response, she tried again. "Odd?" she said louder, thinking that if that had gotten Ulrich's attention that would surely get the other boy's. But it didn't.

Ulrich nudged his friend slightly as Mrs. Hertz picked up a ruler and started marching over to their desk.

Standing beside the desk then, she brought the ruler up and slapped it hard on the table right by Odd's head. Jolting awake, he gave a startled cry and fell off his stool and onto the floor. Causing the class to erupt in laughter again.

The science teacher crossed her arms and looked down at the boy on the floor who looked up at her.

"Mr. Dellarobia…the sleeping will not help you're grade at all. I suggest you pay attention, along with Mr. Stern here." He said gesturing to the brunette.

Glaring at her and standing up he then sat back on his stool. "Whatever…" he muttered as he sank back down on the table with his chin on his crossed arms.

"And the whatever attitude won't help either. If you want you're grade to go up from what it is now, then I suggest you stop looking at the back of your eyelids." She reprimanded him. "And don't fall asleep, I have a blow horn in my closet along with a megaphone. I don't think you want me to use them to wake you up next time do you?"

And with that, she turned and started walking to the front of the class again. But not without a bird being flicked her direction from Odd's hand and a quiet F you to go along with it.

This of course haden't gone unnoticed by Aelita, Jeremy, and Ulrich, who shared looks of exasperration toward the rebeled boy.

Five minutes later, the bell rang for their second class of the day. Standing up from their stools, the students started walking out of the classroom.

When the four friends were about to walk out of the classroom, Mrs. Hertz's voice stopped them.

"Not so fast Mr. Stern and Dellarobia." She said, not looking up from what she was writing on at her desk. But she then did looked up. "Ms. Stones and Belpois, you may go."

Giving the two boys a look first, they then left the classroom.

"What's this about Mrs. Hertz?" Ulrich asked, as they both walked over to her desk.

"Your grades." She said, looking at them through her rounded glasses. "Ulrich, your grade is a high F, but an F none the less. Now, I've gotten an e-mail from your father asking about this."

At the comment about his father, Ulrich sighed in exasperation. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth." She said simply. "That you've been dozing off and day dreaming in class. I suggest you better snap out of the daydreaming or you might just fail the class."

The science teacher then looked at Odd. "And you Mr. Dellarobia, your grade is…well…I don't think I should really even say it out loud in front of-"

"I don't care." Odd said.

"That's the problem." Mrs. Hertz said. "But fine then, a thirty four percent."

Ulrich got a slight look of surprise on his face and he looked over at Odd, who had then a slightly fallen look on his face. But it didn't stay for very long.

"You better wake up Mr. Dellarobia. Or you're going to fail as well." She said to him. "You both may go now."

They both walked out the classroom door, but Odd turned back around and leaned into the doorframe.

"By the way, the three rocks are sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic." He said, and then he turned and left again.

"Wait…you actually knew the answer to that?" Ulrich asked as they walked down the hallway to the outside.

Odd answered by nodding.

"I can't believe it. You're actually…smart." Ulrich said.

At this, Odd laughed out loud. "Yeah, whatever you say good buddy. But fyi, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed."

"You could be if you tried harder." Jeremy said, moving and walking beside them along with Aelita.

"Where'd you come from?" Ulrich asked.

"We waited." Aelita answered. "What was that about?"

"Our grades." Odd and Ulrich answered at the same time.

"What about them?" she asked.

"My grade is a high F." Ulrich answered.

"Mine is a thirty four percent." Odd answered her question as well.

"A thirty four?" Jeremy asked distraught.

Odd guessed that if Jeremy ever had a low grade like that, he'd probably cry. But being the einstein that he was, he didn't really have to worry about that.

They walked in silence for a few moments until Jeremy broke the silence. "You know you have to bring that up, right?" Not getting a response, he tried again. "Odd, if you don't bring your grades up, you won't be able to see your mom again. Isn't that what you wanted?"

The look on the pointy-haired, boy's face then was of sorrow. They all noticed, it was hard not to notice when he hardly showed emotions such as sadness. "What do you think, Jeremy?" he said quietly.

"I think that you know I'm right. And you know you have to bring your grades up. You just don't want to try hard." He answered.

When he didn't get an answer, Jeremy noticed the look of deep depression for other unknown reasons. He knew of part of Odd's past, but he had a feeling he didn't know the whole story. There was some other reasons he was the way he was. And for the first time, he actually felt pity for him.

Jeremy turn to the other two friends. "You guys go ahead. We'll catch up."

They nodded, understanding, and started walking away. Leaving Jeremy and Odd by themselves in the courtyard.

Turning to a bench, Jeremy sat down. Odd looked at him, and he patted the seat next to him, gesturing the boy to come and sit with him. And he did, sitting beside eachother, they didn't say anything. Until Jeremy broke the silence again.

"What's going on, Odd? You know you won't be able to see your mom again until-"

"I know, Jeremy. I just…" his words trailed off.

Picking the conversation back up, Jeremy asked softly. "Just what?"

_2 years ago, New York City_

_Eighty-four percent his test read at the top in bright red pen. "That's the best grade you've had so far, Odd." The teacher said. Her name was Ms. Williams, young, brunette, and very nice. She always had a smile on her face and she pushed kids as much as she thought they needed to be. But not too forceful._

"_Keep it up and we might see an A on that paper soon." She said, giving him a smile before walking away from his desk._

…

"_What are you doing?" Veronica asked none too nicely when she walked into the kitchen to see him at the table._

"_Homework." He answered._

"_Boy, what have I told you about homework? It don't do nothin'. You ain't gettin' any smarter so do what I told you to do and-"_

"_You haven't told me to do anything." He snapped back at her. _

_But interrupting Veronica and snapping at her deffinetly did not fly by with her. She got the look on her face that showed she was angry, or angrier at him. Her eyes getting wider and her hands on her hips as she stuck her chin out. "Excuse me?"_

"_I said you haven't told me to do anything." He repeated._

"_Well then I am now dumb bitch boy. Fix dinner."_

"_I will after I'm done with this." He answered._

"_Um, no. You will fix it now damnit!" she shouted at him._

"_I said I would after!" he shouted back angrily at her._

_He almost expected her to beat him right then and there, but she didn't. She just stood there as he pushed past her and went up to his room._

_Veronica sat down in her chair, watching the television when she heard a knock at the door. Standing up, she went over to open it to see the face of a brunette woman._

"_Hello. I'm here to tell Odd about a tutoring program we'll be holdling tomorr-"_

_But the door slammed shut in her face then, cutting her off._

_Anger came over her as she stomped over to the foot of the stairs. She was tired of all of these academic people coming to her door and disturbing her. And for other reasons no one really knew._

"_Odd!" she shouted up the stairs loudly and angrily. "Get down here bitch!" _

_She saw him appear at the top of the stairs and she then continued shouting at him._

"_You bring that young, school bitch here?" she shouted at him._

_Odd didn't answer, he knew who she was talking about. His nice teacher that had been helping him with school lately._

"_I can't here you, since you've got so much motha fuckin' mouth and you're bring little smart bitches up in here."_

"_I didn't tell her to come! I didn't know she was going to come by here!" he shouted back at her, defending himself._

_She put her hand up to silence him. "Ya know what? I think you're trying me, I think you're really trying to fuck with me. That shit you pulled in the kitchen, I should have beat you down. But I let you walk away, I let you go and collect yourself. But I'm letting you know that if you ever pull that shit on me again I will beat you down so hard you won't even be able to stand."_

_Odd just stood at the top of the stairs, listening to her threaten him like she usually did. But he had been surprised that she'd let him walk away after her shouted back at her._

"_Having some little, young women coming to my door talking about some kind of tutoring program and how you can have a higher education. You're a dummy bitch, how many times do I gotta tell you this? Don't nobody want you, don't nobody need you. As soon as I saw those pictures of you that the police officers showed me I knew you were a nobody, and that you ain't nothin'."_

_At this, Odd couldn't listen anymore, he turned and started to walk away with a smirk of disgust at her words. Wrong move that was._

_A vase then came flying toward him up the stairs, crashing behind him barely missing his head if he haden't have ducked just in time._

"_Smile about that you dumb-"_

_Her words were cut off as Odd then picked up the remote that went to his television in his room and threw it down the stairs at Veronica. He'd had just about enough of this woman, he couldn't take her hurtful words anymore, lashing out seemed like the only option._

_The phone hit her in the chest and she ran up the stairs after him as he walked away._

_The outcome of the fight wasen't pretty. You could hear the punches, slaps, kicks, and smacking of objects as they hit his body. _

_It was pretty safe to say that Veronica was on a rampage, when she'd said that the next time he did anything wrong she would beat him so hard he won't be able to stand, she wasen't joking.  
_

…

Odd looked at Jeremy then, but not a look of anger like it normally was whenever he looked at him. "I want the grades, Jeremy. I just don't know how…I just need…" he looked down again and said nothing else.

"Help?" Jeremy finished the sentence for him.

Odd looked back up at him, the same look of sorrow on his face that he'd never seen before. Jeremy gave him a smile of encouragement. "We can help you. All of us, me, Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi."

Odd smiled back. "Thank you."

**...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay, so I got a review from an anonymous…but he/she's name was helper, but since I can't message them then I'll just say this here…**

**I wasen't aware that there was a specific way to call Jim/Gym whatever, I'm still not even sure how to appropriately say it when I'm talking about him. But I like calling him Gym. Just letting you all know! I don't really like calling him Jim, just doesn't look right to me.**

**And also, Meebster is a made up website. I think...I'm not sure. I just think it's a cool name so I made it up. I didn't want to use Myspace or Facebook.  
**

**Anyways…on with the chapter. :D**

…

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 10**

"It's nearing the end of the semester, Odd." Jeremy said to the blonde boy who was hiding behind the other's laptop.

"I know, it's just…" he said but was cut off as he continued typing away at the keyboard. "…do we _have _to continue studying?"

"Why stop?" Aelita replied from beside Jeremy.

"Because I'm tired." Odd moped with a pouty lip, the ring in it glinting a small shine in the library lights.

Then, their two other friends entered the library, the double doors making a small squeaking sound as they opened and then were pushed shut.

Ulrich leaned over Odd's shoulder. "Or you just want to continue talking to Samantha."

"Who's Samantha?" Aelita asked curiously. Did he have a girlfriend that she wasen't aware of?

"Just a friend from back in Greenville." Odd answered simply as he typed something else into the laptop.

Yumi and Ulrich both sat down then. "Just a friend?" Ulrish questioned.

Aelita looked eagerly at him, awaiting his answer. Was he interested in this Samantha girl?

"Just a friend." Odd agreed.

Ulrich continued looking over at the screen as his friend typed away on the keyboard. "You're planning on meeting her tomorrow at eight?"

At this, Odd turned to him. "Will you stop inserting yourself into my conversation?"

"I'm just curious because you don't have a girlfriend here yet."

"Do I _need_ one?"

Ulrich was going to answer but was interrupted by Yumi. "I'm surprised that you don't havea girlfriend yet too."

"Why?" Jeremy asked. "Who do you think is interested?"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Odd protested, holding up his hands. "Are you saying I'm unlikeable or…ugly?" he said the last word dramatically as if it strained him to say it.

Aelita made a scoffing noise, causing everyone to turn to her. "What?" she asked.

Ulrich imitated her noise and then asked. "What was that for?"

Aelita blushed as she saw Odd staring at her curiously and Jeremy's eyes boring into her from the side. "Just, um…that you know…" she twiddled her thumbs uncomfortably. "You are really good looking and…I'm not the only one that sees it okay!" she defended herself.

Yumi then spoke up as well, catching how uncomfortable she was. "I've heard plenty of girls talking about you too."

"Oh?" Odd asked.

"Oh yes. You wouldn't believe the way some girls here can talk about a guy. They make up huge fantasies about them and its kindove funny, really."

"I haven't noticed. I mean, I don't really have many friends here other than you guys so…"

"Wonder why…" Jeremy mumbled sarcastically as he scanned through Odd's Meebster profile through his own username on his laptop.

"What's that supposed to mean _bro_?" he spat out the last word at him. He then got a confused look on his face as he noticed that Jeremy had the laptop now. "When did you grab that?"

"I grabbed this like…a few seconds ago. I asked you if I could have it back and you said, 'Sure, go for it.'" He mimicked Odd's voice.

"I did?" he asked.

"Yeah…" Jeremy answered slowly. "Do you have short term memory loss or something?"

He was joking with him, but Odd had gotten a concerned look on his face as he thought about it. He could not remember Jeremy taking that laptop back, it concerned him for a reason none of his friends around him knew about.

They had caught on to the way he had zoned out and was thinking hard about something. "Odd?" Ulrich asked, nudging him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Whatever…anyways what did you mena by what you said?"

"These pictures on your page, that's what I mean." Jeremy said.

At this, the pointy-haired boy gave a short laugh as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. What pictures?"

Jeremy, with raised eyebrows, turned the screen toward him to see him and some other friends at a party. All clearly drunk, and one of the girls hanging on him like a monkey. To add onto it, she wasen't exactly dressed appropriately either.

"Who's that girl hanging on you that looks like a miniature stripper?" Aelita asked with venom.

"Whatever!" Odd repeated. "Like you've never been drunk before."

They all shook their heads, making him stare at them, bewildered. "Wait…none of you have ever been drunk before?"

They all shook their heads again. Odd put his hands on the table, showing that he was getting ready to make an announcement. "Tonight. Party. Club. Us. Going."

This caught them all off guard. "Wait, what?" they all asked in unison.

"We can't leave school grounds that late." Jeremy protested.

Then Aelita spoke up as well. "I think we should go."

Everyone stared at her with shock. "What?" All of them asking loudly in unison, causing the librarian to 'sh' them.

Aelita wasen't sure why she'd agreed to go. At first she thought she had agreed with Odd. But that could have been just her tricking herself into thinking that to hide the truth. She was just simply trying to impress Odd. And seeing the smile on his face made butterflies flutter in her stomach. "Come on guys. How often do we do exciting things like this?" she continued on.

"Exactly what I'm thinking." Odd said, causing Aelita to grin widely.

The others were still so surprised by Aelita that they were speechless. She never did anything wild and crazy such as a club.

For a small moment, Aelita actually thought then about saying 'nevermind' to this whole idea. But catching another glimpse at the screen with Odd and the girl hanging drunkenly on him, and thinking about this Samantha character again, jealousy surged through her. "So who's in?" she asked as she raised her hand.

Odd raised his immediately, happy that his pink-haired friend had backed him up.

Ulrich grinned as he raised his hand. "I'm in."

"Me too." Yumi then raised hers as she smiled as well.

They all then turned to Jeremy, who was the only one not raising his hand. "What about studying?"

"We've been studying all day!" Odd said.

"But-"

"Come on." The blonde and purple haired boy said.

"What about-"

"Come on!" he interrupted again.

"I really think-"

"Come on!" Aelita then said.

Jeremy rolled his eyes and raised his hand. "Alright fine."

"Sure, listen to her." Odd then said, causing Ulrich and Yumi to laughed and Jeremy to blush.

This normally would have made Aelita blush as well, but strangely, she didn't feel embaressed by this. Lately, someone else in particular has been all she'd been able to think about. And that someone sat right across from her. Catching her eye, Odd smiled at her and she smiled back.

Tonight, she was going to try to impress him. Maybe he'd change his mind about meeting his Samantha friend.

This was deffinetly going to be an interesting night.

…

**Clubbin'? Yeaaaaaah boy! Lyoko kids are going clubbin' ya'll. ;D **


	11. Chapter 11

**A variety of different songs in this chapter! XD**

**Songs included are: (I'll go in order)**

**TiKToK by Ke$ha**

**Take it Off by Ke$ha**

**Hey by 3oh!3**

**How Low (remix) by Ludacris ft. Ciara & Pitbull **

**Like a G6 by Far East Movement**

**You'll also have to make up your own designs for some of the guy's t-shirts. Because I don't really want to explain what their wearing in my mind mostly because I've seen some of the shirts and I can't really explain them very well. XD So use your imagination!**

**/  
**

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 11**

_**Wake up in the mornin'**_

_**Feelin' like Pdiddy**_

_**Grab my glasses**_

_**I'm out the door**_

_**I'm gonna hit this city**_

_**Before I leave**_

_**Brush my teeth **_

_**With a bottle of jack**_

'_**cause when I leave**_

_**For the night**_

_**I ain't comin' back**_

Aelita grabbed multiple items of clothing out of her closet and drawers as she listened to Ke$ha. She didn't know what to wear, she'd never been to a club before. Was she supposed to wear something low cut? Short shorts? Short skirt?

When it came to partying, she didn't have a clue. This didn't mean she didn't know how to have a good time. She was just unexperienced at clubbing.

But she then saw a white strapless shirt at the bottom of her drawer, it was plain aside from glittery tassles hanging from the front. She brought it with her to school just in case, though she didn't think she'd ever wear it.

Pulling it out and putting it on, she looked in the mirror. Aelita did a little spin and moved around abit, making the tassles swish along with her.

Satisfied, she then decided to go for shorts. But of course, she couldn't find any that she thought suited a club. Going for skirts then, she saw one. It was bright, neon pink.

Slipping that onto her legs and up to her waist, they sat perfectly on her hips. The bright color made her tan legs really show, and the white shirt made her arms appear extra tan as well.

Aelita couldn't help but smile at her appearance. She wasen't a full-of-herself person, but she still couldn't stop her smile.

It was then that a knock came at the door. "Come in!" she said.

Yumi walked in then, carrying clothes and a makeup bag. "I brought the makeup." She then caught sight of her best friend. "Aren't you looking bright and party-like." she commented, smiling.

"Is it too much?" she asked.

"No. It's fine! You look ready for some clubbin'!" she replied as she then put her clothes and makeup bag on the bed. "I had to bring my clothes with me. If my parents were to see me leave the house with these clothes on, they would freak."

_**There's a place downtown**_

_**Where the freaks all come around**_

_**It's a hole in the wall**_

_**It's a dirty free-for-all**_

The song then switched to a new Ke$ha song as Yumi then changed her outfit while Aelita put on makeup. Aelita never put on eyeliner and eyeshadow, if she ever put on any it was just mascara.

But she was putting on black eyeliner on her bottom and top inner eyelids, concentrating so she wouldn't mess up.

Switching to the liquid eyeliner, she applied heavy, black liquid eyeliner to her top lid, making it swish out a bit on the corner to create a bit of a cooler effect.

"So, what do you think?" Yumi asked, making Aelita turn her attention to her.

There Yumi stood, in a black, bleach-stained skirt. Her shirt was a v-neck neon blue shirt, tight fitting to her body and curves.

"You look awesome!" she squealed, making Yumi grin.

"Thanks. Alright, now time for makeup." She said as she joined Aelita at the mirror.

/

_**Turn the lights down low**_

_**And let the DJ go**_

_**Until the speakers go**_

_**Stay up till the break of dawn**_

3oh!3 played in Ulrich and Odd's room as they got ready, of course not needing to get ready as much as the girls. Odd put jeans that fit him a bit better, though still slightly baggy with his usual stud belt. But he had a different color, this one being rasta colors, green, yellow, and red. His shirt being a neon pink and blue shirt.

Ulrich wore dark blue jeans, along with a borrowed t-shirt from Odd. He wore a black Tapout shirt.

"It feels kindove weird wearing jeans with baggy, not gonna lie." Ulrich said as he looked at himself in the full-body mirror.

Odd tossed a blue and black stud belt to him, which landed on the floor beside him. Ulrich stared at it for a moment, then shrugged and slipped it through the loops.

They then heard a voice coming from one of the closets. "Guys, I look ridiculous."

"Jeremy…" Odd said, rolling his eyes. "You're in a dark closet, you don't even know what you look like."

"I don't care. I can feel it." He replied, his voice slightly muffled.

Odd walked over to the closet. "I'm going to open the doors now, Jer." He said.

"No!" Jeremy refused.

"Okay, fine!" Odd said, pulling his hands back as if he'd been burned. He then sighed. "One."

"Oh, please. Do you really think that childish thing will work on me?" Jeremy said.

"Two." He continued counting like a parent would to their child.

"Odd, I'm not coming out. And counting numbers won't do anything."

"Three. Counting to five, Jer!" he said warningly.

"I don't care!" he sang from inside the closet.

"Four."

"This is ridiculous…"

"Four and a half."

"Yeah, I'm happy you can count, Odd. Really, I'm so proud of you. You'll pass tenth grade in no time once the teachers hear your counting ability."

"Fi-"

"Alright, alright!" Jeremy said as he sighed and opened the doors to the closet.

Stepping out, in just like the other two boys, baggy jeans and a plain black belt along with a Bill Nye Is My Homie t-shirt.

Grinning, Odd turned his head to Ulrich who was behind him still. "I just knew the Bill Nye shirt would suit him."

"I'm not wearing this." Jeremy said, crossing his arms.

"Why? You look ready for partying! And fist pumping!" Odd said as he began to fist pump, portraying his point.

Jeremy was unconvinced though as he narrowed his eyes at him.

"He has a point. You look ready for clubbin'." Ulrich said, making Odd stop fist pumping.

The boy in glasses sighed. "Fine!"

_**How low can you go**_

_**How low can you go**_

_**Ludacris got a remix**_

_**Hold up let me get my camera**_

_**I wanna see Arizona**_

_**Indiana, Minnesota**_

_**And the women of Louisiana**_

A new song started just as Odd sprayed himself all over multiple times with cologne. "Think that's strong enough?" Ulrich asked him, smirking.

"I like it strong. That way more girls dance all over you and comment on how good you smell." He said, grinning.

"You're a pig." Jeremy said then as he pulled over the desk chair and sat in it, the back in the front of him.

"Okay, girlfriend." Odd scoffed, making Ulrich laugh. He placed it down finally on the desk, Ulrich looked at it casually and took it secretly off the desk.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by Odd though as he turned to him. "I won't judge you if you use it." He said.

Ulrich then sprayed himself all over with it as well, while Jeremy gaped at him in disbelief. He coughed then and waved a hand in front of his face. "You think that's strong enough?" Jeremy asked.

Odd motioned from behind Jeremy to Ulrich, who passed him the bottle of cologne. Sneakily, Odd sprayed the back of Jeremy's neck, making him cry out in surprise and jump out of the computer chair. "Really?" he cried as he tried wiping it off.

"Really." Odd said as he then sprayed his shirt.

"Ah!" he cried out.

This made Odd laugh as he watched Jeremy try to wipe off the smell.

Odd walked over to the mirror in front of Ulrich and made sure his hair was up and good. Ulrich was checking out his tan arms in the narrow reflection from behind Odd. Noticing this, Odd turned to him and then looked at his own arms.

"Dude, does this shirt make me look tan?" he asked his brunette friend.

"Yeah, it makes you look really tan." He replied, reassuring him. "What about me?"

"Oh yeah, man. You look tan too."

Jeremy gaped at them. "You guys sound like a couple of girls!" he cried, as they continued making sure their tans were alright.

/

It was ten oclock. The time that students needed to be inside. The night was warm and the stars were bright and scattered across the sky. The moon shone, adding on to the lights of the town.

Stepping outside, Aelita and Yumi ran silently out of the building to the outside walkway in the front of the school. They looked around, trying to see if they could see the boys. But they were no where in sight.

"You don't think they got caught do you?" Aelita asked.

"I don't know." Yumi answered.

But no sooner did she say that did they hear their muffled voices as they turned the corner. "Hey!" Aelita said quietly as her and Yumi waved to them.

Once in they could see them through the lights lighting the outside part of the building, Aelita whispered to Odd. "Do you have it?"

"Yeah." He whispered back as he handed the belt to her.

Again, another studded belt. It seemed he had many to spare. At first, Yumi thought it was just her that wore them. Of course, she only had two pairs while Odd had many different colors. And she didn't wear hers too often.

Aelita thought that a gold-studded belt would look good with her outfit. And sure enough, her spiky-haired friend had one. Once slipping it through the loops of her short, purposely tattered at the ends skirt, they ventured out into into the courtyard. Silently making their way across the courtyard, they weren't running into any trouble.

But they then heard two voices conversing. They froze right where they were, the voices were coming from behind a small building where vending machines were kept. "Gym!" Ulrich whispered to the others.

Panicking and looking around, Yumi pointed to a tree. "Up here!"

Running over to it, Aelita grabbed a branch and climbed up. "I don't want to flash you…" she whispered as she climbed up. "Don't look!"

"Alright, alright." The boys said as they looked away.

Then Jeremy climbed up and sat on the branch next to Aelita. Then it was Ulrich's turn, along with Odd who leaped up and swung into the tree like an orangutan.

The voices were getting louder and Gym and Yolanda got closer.

It was then Yumi's turn as she started to climb up though, she missed her footing and almost fell. She felt a warm, slightly sweaty hand grab her arm and help pull her up though. Breathing hard from nervousness and climbing, she turned to Ulrich. "Thanks." She whispered.

"No problem." He smiled at her, though he wasen't sure if she could tell because it was so dark.

They sat still and quiet, worried that they might even breath too loud. Their voices were so close they could clearly understand what was being said.

"Will she be okay?" Gym asked with concern as stopped and stood conversing with each other.

"Oh yeah. She'll be fine." Yolanda answered. "It wasen't enough to be a concussion. Though, I do wonder what Sissi was doing up on that ladder in the boy's dorms anyway…"

They all had to keep their laughter subsided so they woudn't give away their hiding spot. But the image of Sissi falling off of a ladder was still very humorous to them.

"I don't know. But from the looks of it, she appeared to be hanging something above another student's dorm room door."

"Hanging something? How do you mean?" she asked curiously.

"I think she was playing a prank on someone." Gym answered gruffly.

Yoland sighed and shook her head. She knew of pranks that the kids here pulled, that was part of the reason she got injuries and accidents that were enough to send them to either her office or the principle's. "Who's dorm was it?"

"Stern and Dellarobia's room if I'm not mistaken." He answered.

Ulrich turned with a questioning look to Odd who just shrugged. They haden't had too much trouble with Sissi lately. Not more than normal at least. But she had never tried to pull a prank on them before.

"For a principle's daughter that was a pretty risky move don't you think?" Yolanda asked.

"Yeah but…" Gym then looked around and spoke in a low voice, making the gang lean closer to the conversation. "…though I don't like feeding the gossip that goes around here among the students, she has been known to upset quite a few kids."

Jeremy, however leaned too close over as he tipped a bit on his branch and gave a small cry of fright, Aelita and Odd had to quickly pulling him back up before he fell completely down.

The two teachers paused in their conversation as they looked around at the small noise.

"Probably just some other kids in town." Yolanda said.

"Yeah…" Gym agreed, a little uncertaintly. "But anyway…"

"Guys!" Jeremy whispered.

"What?" they asked together.

"I dropped my shoe…"

"So?" Odd said, annoyed.

"So, if they see it, they come over and surely see us!" he reasoned.

"Oh, good point." Ulrich agreed.

"Well, where is it?" Aelita asked, looking down.

"On that branch, just barely hanging there."

Odd looked at it. "I got it." He whispered as he leaned over, the branch creaking dangerously as he tried to reach for it.

But his fingers just barely brushed against it. Leaning back onto the branch, he silently decided that this shoes wasen't going to defeat his attempt to try again.

Silently standing and switching to another branch, its leaves swished and the branch shook slightly. Crouching down on it, he reached down to try and grab the shoe that was now directly below him. But even still, the his fingers just barely brushed it.

Giving a sigh of frustration, he sat back onto the branch. "I don't got it." He finally concluded.

The conversation of the two teachers had now switched to Gym complaining of being tired of Herb and Nicholas slacking off in his class earlier that day.

"Now what?" Yumi asked.

"Let me try." Ulrich said as he switched to sitting on Odd's branch, making it creak even more.

Reaching down, he had the same outcome as Odd. Sitting back up, he sighed as well. "Just barely touched it." He said.

Odd grabbed a smaller, skinnier branch then with one hand as his legs were on another, as he held like that, he reached for it. "Odd are you crazy? They'll see you!" Jeremy whispered.

If the teachers were paying attention to this tree that contained the five kids, they would see Odd's arm trying to reach for the shoe that dangled on the branch just below it. "Chill out Einstein. I almost got it."

And he did grab it, which meant success on his part. That is, if the branch that his hand was on haden't given way and broken off.

His friend rushed forward, but Ulrich, being closer got to him first.

Odd hung upside down, his legs still hanging onto the branch and in his arms, the tree branch and the shoe. Not daring to make a move as the two conversing teachers haden't yet noticed that one of their students hung from a tree just a few feet away.

"Odd!" Ulrich whispered down to him. "Give me your hand!"

"I can't reach!" he whispered back, nervousness on his face as he waiting for the teachers to notice him at any moment. "I'd climb back up, but this branch is already creaking dangerously. I don't want to try." He whispered urgently somemore.

They sat their silently again for a few moments, that is until a bug flew onto Odd's face. "Ah! Bug on my face!" he whispered, loudly.

But to their relief, a car had gone by, blocking his loud whispering from the teacher's ears.

Once it flew off, Odd sighed with relief, but his relief soon switched to discomfort as he whispered again. "The blood is rushing to my head you guys…"

"Well give me something to help you back up!" Ulrich said.

"I don't have anything!" Odd said, but then remembered what he had in his hand.

A branch then came up from the space Odd was dangling at. Ulrich looked at it for a moment, then just shrugged and grabbed onto the branch and pulled him up with more ease then he thought, just in time for the teachers to turn their heads and look at the tree with confusion.

"Must have been the wind." Yolanda said.

But Gym noticed that there haden't been that strong of a wind at that moment. He narrowed his eyes, he had a feeling that a student, or students were outside when they weren't supposed to be.

"Jeremy, shoe." Odd said as he handed it to him.

"Thanks." He said as he took it, nervousness in his voice despite the fact that he haden't been the one dangling upside down from a tree.

"Oh wow, can't see right now." Odd said as he held his head, waiting for the blood to rush back down.

"See you tomorrow, Yolanda." They heard Gym say as he began to walk toward his car to drive home. Taking certain shifts, it wasen't his turn to stay at the school that night to make sure no one was out of bed.

"Okay, Gym. Bye!" The school nurse replied as she too began walking to her car.

Once their cars had driven off down the road, the five kids jumped down from the tree one my one. First, Jeremy, then Aelita, next Ulrich and Yumi, who stumbled but Ulrich made sure she didn't fall. And then, Odd who came down somewhat clumsily and fell on the ground.

Ulrich laughed at his friend laying on the ground. "Nice one, real smooth cool guy!" He laughed at him.

Standing up and swaying, Odd grabbed the tree. "Okay, still can't really see. So it's not my fault!"

Once he recovered from the blood that had rushed to his head, they then made their way into town.

It was then that the boys got a decent look at the girls and the girls got a decent look at the boys.

To the girls, the boys were looking really good. Odd didn't look very much out of his normal attire, except wearing a new pair of black, high-top, Vlado shoes. Ulrich wasen't too much out of his normal attire, he was dressed more like his pointy-haired friend though. Jeremy however, was dressed way out of his normal outfit. That didn't mean he didn't look good though. They sort of liked the change in his outfit for the time being, though they knew it wouldn't stay like that.

To the boys, the girls looked mighty fine. In their short skirts and low cut shirts that fit their young curves perfectly. They had never really noticed that their girl friends had never really been keen on showing cleavage. But they surely noticed now as it showed clearly.

"This is gonna be fun." Odd said to Ulrich, who couldn't keep his eyes off Yumi.

Ulrich also failed to notice that his mouth was open. Odd ran his finger under it. "What the-" Ulrich said, his attention away from the japanese girl and now on Odd.

"I don't think she'll like it if you drool." He pointed out simply.

"I've actually just thought of something guys." Jeremy said.

"Oh boy here we go!" Odd said, rolling his eyes.

Jeremy gave him a glare then continued what he was saying. "I think we forgot to realize that we're not old enough to get into a club."

"That's why you have _people_." Odd said.

"People?" he questioned.

"Yeah. And I got people."

Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh really? And who exactly are your people?"

"Just telling you, I got people. It's covered. Licked and sealed like an envelope." Odd stated.

"If you say so…" Jeremy said, still uncertain.

"But there's still one question that you guys have to answer." Odd said, holding up his index finger to prove his point.

They turned their attention to him.

"Birmingham or here?" he asked them.

"What?" Yumi asked.

"Do you want to stay here and go to a club? Or do you want to go to Birmingham and go to a club?" he tried again.

"How do we even have a choice?" Aelita asked.

"I don't have any money for a bus." She told him.

"That's why we take a car."

"Odd, we don't even have our licenses yet." Yumi said.

"It's only a thirty minute drive. It's fine."

"And where exactly are you planning on getting this car?" Yumi asked, grinning with amusement on her friend's ideas.

"Like I said, I got people."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and gave a sigh of frustration. "Will you stop it with the, 'I got people'?"

"No. Because I got them." He answered simply.

Jeremy face palmed while Ulrich laughed at how Odd and Jeremy argued. They argued over the most ridiculous things sometimes, even though he had to admit himself that this plan was pretty crazy.

"Here's our ride." Odd said as he stopped.

When the other four saw what ride they were taking, their eyes almost bulged out of their head, and their mouths fell open.

A black, hummer limo sat parked on the street in front of them. It's sleekness shining in the street lamps on the sidewalk and the red and white lights of cars passing by.

"So?" Odd questioned again, awaiting their answers.

"Brimingham!" Ulrich said, raising his hand.

"Birmingham!" Aelita agreed, raising her hand.

"Birmingham!" Yumi raised her hand.

They all then turned to Jeremy who stood with his mouth still agape. But catching the pleased look on Odd's face, he shook his head and got back to his displeased composure. "I don't know you guys. I'm not comfortable with underage drivers driving me thirty minutes away."

"Well that's why we have a driver." Odd said.

"Say what?"

It was then that a tall, nineteen year old got out of the limo. He wore a tuxedo that didn't match his features too well. He had scraggly, dirty-blonde hair with a face that needed shaved. He was obviously not a professional limo driver. He had a very chill expression about him as he leaned on the hood and smiled at them. "Sup?"

They all waved except Jeremy. "Okay, so we have a driver."

"It's all settled then?" Odd asked them. "We're going to Birmingham?"

Jeremy sighed. "Yeah, I guess so…"

"Alright!" Ulrich, Yumi, Aelita, and Odd cheered like little kids.

Piling into the limo, they felt like superstars. And driving off, they felt even more so as cool lights turned on in the area in which they sat.

"Nice tuxedo by the way, Paul." Odd said.

"Thanks bro. I found it and I thought it looked cool." He answered.

"It totally does." He said, nodding.

Once the black screen rolled up so the limo driver was bocked out of most of the noise coming from the back. Odd, went up to the front and pressed a button on the ceiling. As soon as he did that, loud music played to go along with the colorful lights.

Within five minutes, they were all into the wild lights and music that they felt like partying right then and there. Even Jeremy looked like he was having a good time.

_**Poppin' bottles in the ice**_

_**Like a blizzard**_

_**When we drink we do it right**_

_**Getting' slizzard**_

_**Sippin' in my ride**_

_**Like three-six**_

_**Now I'm feelin' so fly**_

_**Like a G6**_

"Too bad we don't have any alcohol." Ulrich said to Odd, smiling as they danced the best they could in the back of the limo. He watched Yumi dance as well with Aelita.

Odd then, breaking out the champaigne from a clear container behind one of the seats. He brought out the bottle along with clear, shiny glasses.

At first, they hesitated, but they then cheered, except Jeremy of course. Pouring it into the glasses everyone took them.

Drinking it, Jeremy choked and spit some of it out, spraying it on the seat across from him. Odd laughed. "You alright there, Einstein?" he asked.

Jeremy nodded wiping his mouth off.

Aelita drank it too, but tried her best to hide her grimace. Odd didn't notice though as Aelita then forced the rest down. "Dang! That was fast!" Odd said as he saw that her glass was empty.

Aelita poured herself more, seeing the grin on Odd's face. He poured himself somemore as well and he held it up.

"Lets have a great time tonight!" he shouted.

Everyone cheered as they clanked their glasses together and drank it together.

/

**More next chapter. :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**More songs!**

**In order…**

**Freaxxx by Brokencyde**

**Back It Up by Colette Carr**

**DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love Again by Usher**

**Shots by LMFAO**

**/**

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 12**

Pulling up to the club, the walls were black-painted bricks with a little intentional graffiti design spelling out, 'The Space'.

Others waiting outside saw the limo pull up with surprised faces, and the few leaving the club were a bit surprised to see it as well.

The door opened, and Yumi stepped out of the long, black vehicle. Her glittery eye make-up was shining in the street lamps. She had a very happy, warm feeling about her as she stepped onto the curb.

Ulrich got out after her, along with Aelita who took Jeremy's hand and pulled him out of the car. Out of all of them, he was a bit more tipsy then them.

Odd was the last to get out after having a few words with Paul. And as soon as he got out, the limo drove away and he turned to his friends who were staring up at the club with slight concern. But not as much as they would have considering they were way more loosened up.

"Hey, Odd?" Yumi asked him.

"Hm?" he muttered as he took some money out of his wallet.

"How are we supposed to get in?" she asked. "We aren't old enough!"

"I got that covered." He said simply.

"Oh yeah? How?" she asked.

At this, Jeremy put a hand to her mouth. "Don't ask that! He's gonna say that he-"

"I got people." He shrugged and walked forward to the bouncer.

"Told you…" Jeremy said.

As Odd walked up to the giant, african-american bouncer. The man's eyes got wide, taking a little bit away from his tough exterior, but not too much considering he was extremely muscular. He resembled Mr. Bubbles in a way, just less strict. "Odd?" he asked.

"One and only." He said, smiling at him.

The next thing that happened was unexpected from the other four in the group. Demetree leaned down and grabbed the pointy-haired boy up in a huge hug and lifted him off the ground. Looking like a giant bear hugging a twig.

"I haven't seen you in forever! Last time I saw you, you was only twelve!" he said happily and with emotion.

"I know…it's been…ahwile…" Odd said in a strained voice. "I can't really…breathe though…"

Demetree immediately put him down. "Sorry. It's just…it's been so long! How's your sweetheart of a mother?" he asked as Odd's friends walked over beside him.

Odd's eyes clouded over with sadness at this question as he looked down at the ground.

"Still in rehabilitation huh?" he asked in a low voice.

Odd nodded, and took a deep breath to regain his composure. And when he did, it was like he had never lost it. "And my and some friends from my _new_ school, are here to have a good time." He said as he handed the forty to him. "This is Ulrich, Yumi, Aelita, and Jeremy." He pointed them all out as he went along the row, and they all said 'hello'.

The bouncer said 'hello' back and then turned his attention back to the other boy. "No parole officer is going to be up my ass is he?" Demetree asked with a warning finger.

"Nope. Already took care of him."

"Took care of him?" Jeremy asked in a shocked voice.

"What do you think I did, Jeremy?" Odd snapped at him. "All I did was check in on him."

Jeremy sighed with relief, glad that his friend haden't knocked him out somehow and shoved him in a closet somewhere.

"Here…" the bouncer said, handing Odd back some of his money. "I'll only take twenty. Because I'm so happy to see you!"

Odd grinned at him. "Thanks, happy to see you too big guy."

As they stepped through the door, they heard a last warning call from the bouncer before his voice was blocked by music. "Don't get into any trouble tonight!"

_**I walk into the club**_

_**Lookin' kinda sexy now**_

_**I see these shorties**_

_**In the side**_

_**They started making out**_

At first, the music was just faint as they walked through the narrow, dark hallway. The walls were still black bricks, and the only lights were black lights, making the graffiti on the walls pop out in bright, neon colors.

This effect made Aelita dizzy as she held her head. She started feeling claustrophobic, the walls in the hallway being so closed in.

The smell was a mix of alcohol, steam, and smoke. But it wasen't campfire smoke, she knew that for sure.

The heavy thumping of the music seemed to make the floor vibrate slightly.

Aelita closed her eyes for a little bit and slowed down, trying to calm herself. The hallway just seemed to be so closed in, and with the bright colors popping out, and the strong smells, she felt even more dizzy.

Odd looked back at her with…was that concern? Or was it a look of noticing how much of a rookie she was at this. Did he think she was lame?

It was hard to tell because of the colors and blackness mixed together. Aelita didn't want him to think of her as lame, so she smiled a wide smile at him.

He smiled back at her, though a bit uncertaintly and turned back around as they continued walking down the hallway.

But this didn't last for long as the music was getting louder.

And pretty soon, it was so loud that it was seemed at the edge of being almost deafening.

The open doorway explained it as they walked up to it and through.

The lights in the club were so bright, yet mixing in with the darkness of it, it made it look so much more intense.

Still, intentional graffiti littered the walls, having mini blacklights along there too so they still glowed.

Blue, laser lights were shooting around wildly all over the place. And bright, yellow and pink lights shined down from the high ceiling on them. Some just shining normally, and some flashing madly, giving a strobe-like effect.

The whole scene was just so crazy and colorful that the four couldn't help but gape at it all.

And wasting no more time, they charged on forward into the club. Yumi and Ulrich practically force-dragging Jeremy into the large, dancing crowd.

But Aelita stopped at the edge of the dance floor, uncertain. She wasen't sure how to dance with all of these people around.

And then, Odd came back out of the crowd. "What's wrong?" he asked over the loud music.

"I-I don't know if I can dance with all of these people around!" she replied loudly, though it seemed muffled to her over the booming music.

"No one will be really paying attention, Aelita." He said as he then grabbed her hand. "It's alright. Come on!"

Feeling his soft hand on hers, she got butterflies again. And she was glad that he couldn't see her blushing.

He waited for her to take the first step forward, knowing she was going with him and he then went through the whole crowd of people.

Aelita wasen't sure where she was, she wasen't sure if Odd knew either. How could they tell with the whole crowd of people?

But they soon found the others and joined in their dancing.

_**Back it up, drop it down**_

_**Shake it, and make it go**_

_**Back it up, drop it down**_

_**Shake it, and make it go**_

This new song coming on from the DJ deffinetly made the place boom with the new blast of music. The lights going in all new crazy directions and patterns.

Aelita found herself dancing surprisingly well as she continued. But looking at the other girls there, she looked at them with disgust as they grinded up on guys. And some other girls doing things even dirtier.

Yumi was dancing with Ulrich and she saw Odd to the right of her with, much to her dismay, another girl. She also saw her hand him something that she couldn't tell what it was, it was too small and she put it in his mouth with her two fingers.

But she pushed that last part aside as jealousy surged through her as she watched him dance with her as she grinded all over him. "You smell good!" she shouted to him, making him grin.

But where was Jeremy?

She looked around and then saw him, attempting to dance with another girl who had taken an interest in him. He seemed to be even more tipsy than before.

Had he gotten another drink already?

It was then that she noticed a guy danced all over her, and she turned to see a guy, at least sixteen. She wondered how he'd managed to get into the club as well.

At first, she was thinking strongly of pushing him away, but noticing that she was the only one not dancing with anyone, she started dancing on him as well.

Odd noticed this and watched her have a good time with this random guy she must have just met. But he felt jealousy as he watched the way she was having fun with him.

And he deffinetly did not like the way he was looking at her.

At first, she was having a good time, but then things all started to go downhill from there.

"Come with me to get a drink!" he said loudly.

"Okay!" she said loudly back.

And as they made their way through the crowd, Odd paused in his dancing and watched them go.

"This place must not care much about the drinking age I guess?" Aelita asked as he bought her a drink from the bar.

"Not here." He answered. "The cops have only come here a few times. And the place still isn't shut down."

Aelita wasen't sure if that was a comforting comment or not. But she drank the bottle of beer anyway and put it back down on the table, trying to not scrunch up her face at the taste. They were in the lounge area, sitting on the bright colored couches and the boy, whom she didn't even know his name yet, he seemed to be getting closer and closer to her.

"You're really pretty. Beautiful actually." He slurred as he leaned closer to her.

Aelita scooted over down the couch a little more, but was stopped as he put a hand on her leg. ""Um, I have to go to the bathroom!" she said and she shot up off the couch and went down yet another dark and neon colored hallway. But she was stopped as someone grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall.

"No! Get off!" Aelita said as she tried scooting away more.

"Come on baby. Don't you wanna-" his slurred words were cut off by someone behind them.

"I think she said no."

Looking up, Aelita was thrilled to see Odd standing there, the boy leaning against her however, was not. He at first, couldn't tell who it was, but then realization came over his face. "Oh, it's you."

"Get your hand off of her." He said in a dangerous tone. His eyes flaring with a fury that Aelita had never seen before.

Letting go of Aelita's arm, he walked threateningly over to Odd.

Facing each other, their faces each had an expression of loathing and strong dislike. Their glares shot daggers right into the others'. Aelita stayed in the corner, if there was going to be a fight, she didn't want the first punch to hit her.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here again." The drunk teenager said. "I thought I would never have to look at you ever again. You being kicked out of town was-"

"My business is none of your business, Ron." Odd growled at him.

Ron smirked. "Still the same attitude I remember. You have no idea how much of a kick me and my buddies got out of you and your drug addict mother getting kicked out of your home and out of town."

Odd's hands closed into a tight fist at his sides, causing his knuckles turn white and crack. Aelita noticed this and how Odd's face had gotten even more covered in fury than before, and she sank even further into the corner.

"I said, my business is none of yours." Odd spat at him.

"Some people could hear all the noise your mom was making as she shouted after that police car that drove you away. They said that she shrieked and shrieked. It was almost heartbreaking in their opinion." Then, Ron grinned even more. "I thought it was hilarious."

Odd couldn't take anymore as he was going for a blow to Ron's face, he was stopped by someone moving in the middle of them. "Woah! Woah! Hey!" Aelita said, pushing the two boys apart.

"Odd, come on…" she said as she tried to lure him away from the fight that had almost happened.

Bringing him over to another lounge area where few people were sitting at, they sat down.

Odd was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down. Aelita watched him cautiously, her hand on his knee trying to calm him down as well. "Are you okay?" he asked her then with concern though still anger present in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered. "Thanks for helping me back there."

"I didn't like the way he was staring at you. Made me just wanna-"

"Hey, hey…" she soothed, putting her hands on his clenched ones that were in front of him. "It's over now."

He turned his head to face her and saw her concern. She had never seen that side of him until now, and at first he had really wanted to punch Ron in the face, but now he was glad that he didn't. He didn't want ot expose Aelita to that side of himself. She'd already seen part of it.

"How about we get back to having fun?" he asked her, his smile back on his face.

Aelita grinned in agreement and together they went out on this dancefloor. This time, dancing together.

_**So we back in the club**_

_**With our bodies rockin' from**_

_**Side to side**_

_**Side to side side**_

Dancing with Odd, Aelita strangely felt more loose and more willing to lose control. She danced like the other girls in the club, all over the one she was dancing with. But to Odd, she was so much different than the other girls in the club. He enjoyed dancing with her a lot more.

Fist pumping together, he felt their relationship strangely get closer.

Coming back to the bar though, they ordered shot after shot of whiskey. Downing each one together, each time grinning and giggling with eachother ridiculously. Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremy were playing the same game. Downing shot after shot as they all laughed and talked about random stuff.

_**When I walk in the club**_

_**All eyes on me**_

_**I'm with the party rock crew**_

_**All drinks are free**_

Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremy, Aelita, and Odd all had the 'brilliant' idea then to order as many shots as possible to see who could down the most. Jeremy went out first, with four about to pass out. He sat on the floor wobbling back and forth.

Aelita was next to go out with five shots but continued cheering on the ones left. Yumi was next to go out with only two soon after and joined in Aelita's cheering.

They were wasted, the bartender could tell but he kept serving them their drinks because that meant that he got the money.

"Shots! Shots! Shots!" Aelita and Yumi shouted along with the song that was playing loudly throughout the club.

Ulrich and Odd downed more, their eyes getting heavier and their words even more slurred.

"I…don't shlink you can…take mush more…" Ulrich said to Odd grinning as he leaned heavily on the bar counter.

"Psshhh. I can…tossally…outdhrink you…" he slurred right back shoving Ulrich, but it barely having any effect.

Taking another shot, they didn't even know how many they had. But Yumi was keeping track on a napkin with a pen she borrowed from the bartender.

"Ten!" Yumi shouted as she pointed to Odd. "Nine!" she then shouted again pointing at Ulrich this time.

"I can…go aaaaaallll night…" Odd said, even though he looked as though he was about to fall over.

"Me t-" Ulrich started to answer but was interrupted as a shout came over the music.

"Odd!" Paul said as he went up to them. "You're like, thirty minutes late. Come on!"

"Bhut…I was…just…" he started to protest but was interrupted by Paul.

"Sorry bud, we gotta go."

They all stumbled away from the counter, Paul helped Jeremy up off the floor.

Walking to the exit, they were met once again by the black lights mixed in with the darkness of the hallway.

This made their walking even more difficult as they kept having to lean on the walls and try and make their way through. Aelita fell and scraped her knee on the floor, but she barely noticed as she got helped back up by Paul and continued stumbling on.

Finally making their way outside in the fresh air, Paul unlocked the limo and opened the door.

Odd sat against the brick wall outside and Aelita and Jeremy leaned against a street lamp. Ulrich was leaning against Yumi's shoulder, her being the more sober of the group. But nonetheless, still giggling wildly with Ulrich at something unknown to everyone else.

"Why is it so cold?" Odd asked to nobody in particular as he crossed his arms across his chest.

But Paul heard him and he called back to him as he helped the others inside the limo. "Well if you'd get over here and in the car then you would-aw man really?"

The pointy-haired teen had laid down on the pavement, for some reason he thought this was a likely attempt that he would warm up.

Paul went over to him and pulled him off the ground, putting his arm around his shoulder so he could support his weight, which was surprisingly light. "The..sidewalk…is warm." Odd insisted.

"I bet it is." Paul agreed with him.

"No, you don't…you don't under-undershtand." Odd said, as if he really needed to let him know that the sidewalk was warm. "The sidewalk…is warm."

"I know it is. But the limo is even warmer." He said as he helped him into the back of the limo.

As soon as he got in there, Odd lay down on the seat, even though someone was already in it.

Behind him, lay Aelita, not quite sleeping yet but still laying there.

He turned his head slowly toward her. Smelling her hair, which smelt of strawberries and her perfume. "Hey…" he said in a dreamy sort of way.

"Hey…" she said back.

Odd's breath smelt of booze and he smelt of the cologne he had sprayed on himself earlier.

"You've got dirt right here…" she said as she poked his nose.

He gave a small laugh and Aelita laughed as well.

Then, Odd flipped out his phone and dialed a random number.

As the limo moved, Odd started feeling more and more bad.

The sitting up, except for Aelita who still lay there with him. Somehow in their drunken state, she felt comfortable there with him.

He felt the same way, even though he felt horrible. The loud music that the other three were playing in the car and the lights spinning around seemed to dizzy him.

Odd groaned as he sat up. Aelita looked at him with confusion.

Yumi noticed Odd's head in his hands and she looked at him with concern. "Odd?"

But he didn't seem to pay her much mind as he stayed like that still. "Are you okay?" she tried again.

"I don't-I-I don't…" he tried forming words but he failed.

Paul sat in the drivers seat when the privacy door was rolled down. "Paul?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah?"

"We have a…problem…" she said.

"Problem? What kind of…aw man…" Paul said with a disgusted look on his face as he saw what had happened in the back seat.

…


	13. Chapter 13

**Boom shaka laka laka! Boom shaka laka BOOM!**

**Updating again! :D**

**After about two weeks I think. Sorry, I was in the Megamind zone. :O If any of you haven't seen it…I recommend it.**

**But now, it's Code Lyoko-fanfic-typing-time. And just so you know, I used Leo from That 70's Show. You know…the hippy. He's like my favorite. XD I imagine his voice just like his in this fic too! XD But aaaaanyways….**

** we go!**

**/**

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 13**

Sizzling and humming could be heard from another room as Odd woke up. The birds chirped happily outside, and his eyes cracked open to see sunlight shining through the blinds of the window next to him. Where was he?

Laying on his stomach, he picked his head up a little and rested his chin on what was in front of him. It smelt bad, and when he looked down he realized what it was.

Sitting up quick and looking down at it, he could see a kitty litter box. But he then held his head as he felt it pounding. Once he opened his eyes again, he squinted around the room he was in. And he then realized where he was.

The room had shag orange carpet with walls that the white paint was peeling from, revealing light brown underneath. He also noticed a bed, and was curious as to why he was not in the bed. Instead he had been laying in an area with a small fluffy white pillow, a litter box, and a cat scratcher.

A soft 'meow' was then heard from beside him. Looking down, Odd saw an orange tabby cat staring at him with curious eyes. Confused as to why he was sitting on his pillow and invading his space.

"Sorry Blinky…" he muttered as he stood up slowly.

He then shuffled his way across the room and out the door to the kitchen.

The smell that greeted him made him wince and feel nauseated as he sat at the kitchen table.

A man in a tie dye robe was humming and cooking eggs on a frying pan, his back to him. Another orange tabby cat was sitting on the counter beside him and watching the man cook his eggs.

Odd smiled at the man, it had been a while since he'd seen him. But he still wasen't sure why he was there in the first place. But after so many mornings of not remembering the night before, he just sort of went with it now.

Another skillet beside the egg-cooking one sizzled loudly then as bacon was added to it. Bringing more delicious smells into the room. But to Odd it made him feel even more nauseated as he cringed.

"You want some breakfast Miss. Sassy?" the man asked as he tickled the cat's chin.

The tabby cat mewed happily and the man in the robe grabbed his blender and poured milk in it. He then grabbed a can of tuna and snapped it open and dumped the contents inside the blender. And then, the man turned it on while holding the lid down.

The loud noise made Odd groan and slam his head on the table, making the man jump and turn his head, stopping the blender. "Ow…" Odd groaned into the table top.

"Oh, woah man! Didn't see you there!" the man said.

"It's cool, Leo." Odd said as he brought his head back up, a read mark now on it. "What happened last night?"

Leo laughed then a goofy type laugh. "You were smashed brah. Totally wasted out of your mind man."

"Were…you there too?"

"Nah man. I was watching a James Bond marathon with Miss. Sassy and Blinky." He replied like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Odd watched Leo pour the blended milk and fish into an overly large bowl and scoot it toward the cat. He then poured a cup of coffee. "How was that?"

"It was a good time man. They love James Bond." He answered as he brought the coffee over and set it in front of the blonde-haired boy and then went back to his skillets.

Odd took a drink of the coffee and held it to his nose as he smelt the aroma. It soothed his aching head in a way. "Where are the others?"

Almost to his response, someone shuffled into the room. Odd turned his head to see Ulrich, his brown hair a mess on his head and his shirt ripped on the shoulder so his whole bare shoulder was showing.

He slumped over to the table and sat down beside Odd. "Good morning!" Leo greeted happily, holding the spatula with an egg draped over it.

"Mrrh…" Ulrich mumbled.

"Leo, this is Ulrich. Ulrich, this is Leo." Odd introduced tiredly.

"Nice you meet ya man!" the hippie greeted as he slapped the egg onto a plate.

Ulrich grumbled something that wasen't understandable.

It was then that another shuffle was heard coming into the room, this time being Yumi. She walked into the kitchen, her shirt wrinkled and her makeup slightly smeared. Her black hair a mess on her head as well. She was wearing sweatpants that were way too big for her. The bottoms of them were almost covering all of her feet and she slid her feet across the kitchen tile and to the table and slumped down into the chair beside Ulrich.

"I feel like doo doo…" She mumbled as she put her face in her arms and Ulrich rubbed her back tiredly.

"Good morning!" Leo greeted again, his plate now full of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

"Morning…" she said as she picked her head up slowly. "So guess where I woke up this morning?"

"Hm?" Ulrich and Odd muttered in unison.

"In the bath tub."

Odd snickered. "I woke up on a cat bed and practically put my face in a kitty litter box…"

"I woke up in a bed." Ulrich said.

"Don't brag…" Odd replied from beside him as he took another sip of coffee.

Leo then came over to the table and set down two more coffee mugs in front of Ulrich and Yumi who thanked him. For a bearded hippie, he had good manners.

"Um…" Odd said as he pointed the finger that was holding the coffee mug at Leo. "You got a little something on your glasses."

"Wha-? Oh!" he said as he took them off and looked at them curiously. "I must have splattered some of Miss. Sassy's food on my face when I blended it all together…"

Ulrich looked over at the clear bowl at what the fat cat was digging into on the counter across the kitchen. "Appetizing…" he mumbled.

"Aw yeah man, Miss. Sassy loves it."

"I bet." Yumi replied, smiling though it came out more of a grimace as she saw the cat eating the nasty-looking food.

Leo brought a plate over then and started eating his food while the others watched in disgust.

"Where's Aelita?" Odd asked after a few moments.

"I'm guessing she's the pink-haired one?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. Do you know where she is?"

"I think she's in my room."

Odd scooted back his chair and stood up. "Where are you going?" Yumi asked.

"Just…going to check on her." He replied as he walked out of the kitchen. Leaving Ulrich and Yumi alone with the hippie.

"You guys wanna bite?" he asked them.

Yumi and Ulrich got a look of disgust on their faces as they shook their heads. "Alright, more for me and Miss. Sassy…" Leo said as the tabby cat jumped on the table and started eating a strip of bacon that was on his plate.

Going to the outside of Leo's door, he saw that it as closed. He knocked quietly on it, but got no reply. So he quietly turned the knob and opened the door to see Aelita laying on the bed on top of the covers.

She seemed to be alright, her makeup was smeared on her face and she snored slightly. He smiled at her and left, leaving the door open.

A tired groan came from the screen door that went from the backyard to the kitchen as Jeremy trudged his way inside. His glasses had tape in the middle, keeping them held together. "Good morning!" Leo greeted happily.

"Hey Einstein." Ulrich said as Jeremy sat down in a chair.

He grunted as a response.

"Why were you outside?" Yumi asked.

He turned to her with a glare that wasen't aimed at her, just to show how aggravated he was on where he woke up. "I woke up in a pile of dirt." He replied.

Ulrich and Yumi tried to hold in their laughter but failed as they laughed into their hands.

"It's not funny…" Jeremy mumbled as he put his elbow on the table, making it lean over because of a leg that was shorter than the other three.

"Hey, Einstein's up!" Odd said as he walked into the room.

"I hate you." He replied.

"Woah tape face, don't blame me. Blame the alcohol." He laughed as he sat down at the table again.

"Tape face? Wha-" Jeremy put his hands on his face then maneuvered them up to his glasses to feel the tape. "Why are my glasses broken?" he demanded.

"Hey, don't look at me…" Odd said, holding up his hands.

"Oh, sorry dude, I stepped on them." Leo said. "And your shirt...I don't know what happened to that..." he said gesturing to Ulrich's shirt.

The brunette looked at it with surprise as if he haden't noticed it before. "What the-sorry..." he said, turning to Odd.

"It's no problem brotha." he replied.

"Lovely. Are you going to pay for them?" Jeremy asked.

"Sure man…" Leo replied, of course hardly phased by the comments. "Do you smoke pot?" he then asked.

"What?" Jeremy questioned, a bit aggravated by the random question.

"Look Jer, I'll give you the money since Leo let us stay here." Odd said.

"Aw thanks man." Leo said. "I will give you this, as a token of my gratitude…" he then handed him a cigarette which Odd took and then grabbed a light up off of the table and lit it.

"Wait…why are we here anyway?" Ulrich asked as he watched Odd put the stick between his lips and suck in the smoke.

"Paul dropped you guys off last night."

The blonde-haired boy blew the smoke out and Jeremy glared at him out the side of his eye. "Will you not smoke in here please?"

Odd made a childish face as the boy then and turned back around, as if that would teach him a lesson. "That's adorable." Jeremy replied.

Jeremy wondered why Ulrich and Yumi weren't saying anything to their friend as he smoked like chimney. Was he the only one that was trying to keep him out of trouble anymore?

"Will you put that out?" Jeremy complained again.

Odd took a long drag and blew the smoke in his face and turned back around as Jeremy was waving it away with his hand and coughing. "What's today?" he then asked out of the blue as smoke poured out of his nose.

"Tuesday." Leo answered as he pet Miss. Sassy and Blinky that were now on his lap.

"_Tuesday_?" Yumi, Ulrich, and Jeremy all asked in unison.

"Aw man…" Odd said, as if it wasen't that big of a deal that they were missing school at that moment.

"Come on guys, we gotta go!" Jeremy said as he shot up out of his seat.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Odd said grabbing his shoulders as he stood up as well. "Chill…"

"Chill? Don't tell me to chill! We are playing hookie and-"

"Shhhh…" Odd said as he pressed a finger to the boy's mouth.

Jeremy glared at him. "It's alright, Einstein."

"No it is not alright and you just put an assh on my shirt!" Jeremy said as he brushed it off of his shoulder.

Odd's hands were to himself now. "It's not your shirt it's mine. But you're welcome to have it."

"I don't need your clothes, thank you." Jeremy spat.

Yumi and Ulrich watched them both bicker and wondered whether they should leave Leo's house or not. They looked at the hippie as he pet his cats lovingly as they purred and rubbed their faces on his face.

They couldn't help but think about how much fun they had been having while Odd had become part of their group. But they weren't sure if hookie was worth it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 14**

They all sat in class, listening to Mrs. Hertz teach her lesson of the day. Jeremy and Aelita were listening, or at least attempting to. Attempting harder than Ulrich and Odd by far. Jeremy and Aelita's eyes kept drooping shut until they forcefully opened them again and continued taking notes. Aelita's head slumped and her scribbling pencil drug off the page, making a long line right in the middle of her sentence she'd been writing. Jeremy nudged her and she snapped her head up and continued writing.

One side of Ulrich's face was pressed against the desk as he slept. He haden't even tried to stay awake throughout the class. All he could think about was how tired he was.

Odd was basically the same story, he snoozed on the desk with his face flat on the desk, his arms lay all about on the desk in a weird fashion.

And Yumi, who knew if she was even awake at the time. She was in a different class then them at the time.

It was amazing how they even made it to second mod on time. They had decided to pull Aelita out of bed, or at least...Odd had carried her out to the car and Leo drove them all the way back to Kadic. And even more incredible...they didn't get caught by any teachers. Of course their English teachers marked them down for being absent and that would most likely get them into trouble. But they had decided that they would tell the principle that they had merely slept in on accident and hope that he buys it.

The bell rang and Ulrich and Odd snapped their heads up. The four then slumped out of their seats and shuffled out of the classroom.

Getting through the next class was going to be even more difficult they figured. Because it was a class where they couldn't get away with sleeping. Gym.

"Alright class!" Gym shouted at them all as they sat on the grass in front of him. "Today is the work out room and lacrosse."

The class began talking to each other at this. All deciding who would be whos partner. Ulrich and Odd looked at each other and nodded and Aelita and Jeremy scooted closer together. "Now, now hold on!" Gym said. "_'I'm_ choosing the partners today."

Everyone groaned in response to this.

"Now...Nicholas, you're with Jeremy. Everyone go sit with your partners after I call them out."

The two looked at each other and Gym went to the next to be picked and started naming them off.

"You look pretty tired, huh?" a voice whispered from behind Ulrich, Odd, Jeremy, and Aelita.

They turned to see Sissi smirking at them. "And I seemed to have noticed that neither of you were in first mod today. Strange, I mean I knew you guys did everything together, but I didn't know you even had the same _hookie_ schedule. But that still doesn't really surprise me."

"Why don't you just back off, Sissi?" Ulrich snapped.

"Oh, Ulrich dear. I wouldn't want to accuse you of anything! It's your little friends I have the problem with. You know, my daddy runs the school and I can tell him anything and I'm sure he'd believe me."

"Sissi...first off, I'm really, _really _not in the mood for your little brattiness today. Okay? And second, you should really stop with the threats before I tell everyone about how you fell off a ladder trying to prank Ulrich and I." Odd said.

"How...how do you know-" she started.

"You don't need to know how we know. We just know, okay?"

"Don't you go threatening me Odd Dellarobia! I'm the principle's daughter and I run the school!"

"Big whoop." Odd said. "I'm my mom's son and I say you don't run the school or any of us for that matter."

Sissi gave a noise of protest at this. "You don't talk to me like that _trash_! And for the record, I noticed how you only mentioned your mom in that sentence. And I must say it doesn't surprise me that you don't know your father!"

"Aelita, you paired with Ulrich!" Gym announced.

Odd turned sharply at this and gave her a dangerous look. "Oh yeah? You know what I think? I think you oughta get your fake nose out of other people's business or I'm going to _make you_."

"Odd? Sissi?" Gym said, interrupting their quiet fight.

"What?" they demanded. But they then looked around and noticed how everyone was sitting by their partners.

"No..." Odd said. "Gym, don't do it!" he pointed a warning finger at his teacher as Sissi gave a squeal of protest.

"Sissi, you're paired with Odd."

"No!" they both shouted at the same time.

"You can't pair me with _her_." Odd said, pointing a finger at Sissi.

"And you can't pair me with this...this..._monster_!" she said, pointing at him as well.

"Actually, I can. Now everyone get to into the work out room and lets get this rolling!" Gym said as he blew his whistle.

Gym pointed out the ones to go benchpress, and one of the pairs was Odd and Sissi. And he then pointed out the others to go and do other workouts.

"You disgust me." Sissi said as Odd was laying on the bench, hands on the bar.

"Right back at you." Odd said

"Sissi! Odd! That weight isn't going to lift itself!"

"Gym! I don't trust her with these weights!" Odd called, lifting his hand for the attention of the teacher though he still lay on the bench.

Gym rolled his eyes and gave a sigh of exasperation. "Dellarobia, will you just cooperate?"

"Fine. But if she drops this weight on my face I'm making _you_ pay for my plastic surgery! Or Sissi, because she's already gotten it done on her nose..."

This made the class roar with laughter. Sissi let her mouth fall open in anger, and she then lifted the bar up off of the stand and dropped it.

There was a clanking sound and a cry of pain and surprise as the metal bar with the heavy weights on the end fell on Odd's chest and tipped off the side and onto the floor. Everyone then let out an 'Oh!' as if they felt the pain themselves. Odd turned on his side and crossed his arms across his chest and gasped. "Bitch..."

"Whoops, guess my hands slipped." Sissi said innocently. "Guess you should have paid attention."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Gym said as he rushed over and touched Odd's shoulder. "You okay?"

He sat up and glared at Sissi. "I'm fine." he spat.

"Sissi..." Gym said warningly.

"What? My hands slipped!" she said, and Gym looked at her for a moment and then clapped his hands. "Okay everyone! move on to the next station!"

Ulrich and Aelita were now at the bench press and Ulrich was lifting a weight as Aelita watched him. "I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting gym class." she said.

"Me too, Aelita. Me too." Ulrich agreed.

On the tredmill now, Sissi was walking on hers at a slow speed and Odd was jogging on his. Both of them keeping their eyes away from each other.

"Bet that weight hurt huh?" Sissi then said.

"You would break the silence wouldn't you?" Came Odd's remark.

"You just can't take being embaressed. Especially by a girl."

"Oh, believe me sweetie. I was not embaressed."

"_Don't_ call me sweetie." Sissi snapped, turning her head away from him.

Odd then looked over at her and got an idea as he looked at her open controls and smirked. Reaching over, he pressed his finger on the 'speed up' button and held it there. Sissi turned then quickly to the front as she was then running at a very fast speed. "Wha-what is going-what's happening? !" she cried as she shuffled around trying to speed it down.

Odd jogged on his innocently as he hummed to himself and smiled.

Two students were watching them while they stretched against the wall. Odd nodded at them. "Hey there."

They both waved and smiled uncertaintly while Sissi still shuffled around trying to slow down the machine. She then hopped up on the machine and sat on the bars on the side that were meant for the user to hold on to. She breathed heavily and then glared at Odd who wasen't looking at her at the moment.

Sissi narrowed her eyes at him and he turned, noticing then that she was no longer frantically running on the tredmill. And in the next instant, she was reaching over him and messing with his controls. "Woah, woah-" Odd said as he then began running faster and the level of the tredmill was getting higher. "Sissi...Siss-Sissi!" he protested as he could bearely keep up with the speed then and his tredmill was moving up and down while the girl was still leaning over and pressing random buttons.

But it was then that she slipped and landed on her tredmill on her feet and started frantically running again. But this didn't stop them as they ran and messed with eachothers controls.

And little did they know that the whole class had then stopped in their work outs to watch them. Gym wasen't paying attention as he was getting water from the water fountain to put in his water bottle. Little did he know that behind him were figthing tredmillers.

The two then tripped and slid quickly off of the tredmill as it shot them into the brick wall, both of them shouting loud 'Ow's'. This caught Gym's attention as he then turned just in time to see Sissi and Odd on the floor against the wall.

"What on earth are you two doing?" he demanded as he walked up beside them and stopped their tredmills.

"Odd started it!" Sissi said, pointing an accusing finger at Odd.

Gym groaned and pinched the skin between his eyes. "Look...if you two can't get along, I'll send you both to the principle's office!"

"Okay..." they both muttered in response.

"Alright...now, everyone outside for lacrosse!" Gym said.

Once outside and everyone had their equipment, Odd and Sissi faced each other.

"Odd and Sissi, try and not hurt eachother. Okay?" Gym said.

"Tell that to miss queen bee!" Odd called back.

"Thank you." Sissi smirked.

"That was sarcasm, Sissi. Really, think a little more in that tiny brain of yours." Odd said.

"Oh I have a tiny brain huh?" she said. "You better watch your mouth around me. I can make your life here miserable if I wanted to."

"Oh really?" Odd said, raising an eyebrow as he leaned on his stick. "I'd like to see you try miss-in-your-own-world."

"Haven't I already started?" she said.

"So you've dropped a bar on my chest and made me shoot back into a wall. Big deal."

"I have other ways. I have something that you don't know of." she smiled at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, like I'd tell you."

He furrowed his eyebrows at her and then shrugged. "Whatever..." he then shouted loud enough for the whole field to hear. "Sissi fell off a ladder trying to prank Ulrich and I! I think that's a _fail_!"

Everyone stopped and turned to then and started laughing out loud. Sissi gaped at him and then snatched up the lacrosse ball, put it in the basket at the end of her stick and catipulted it hard at the boy. And just like with the weights, everyone gave a 'Ohhh', especially the boys as they watched the hard ball go in a certain area and Odd fall on the ground.

"Nice ball tap Sissi!" Herb shouted, grinning.

Sissi swished her hair behind her shoulder and smiled.

Odd lay curled up on the ground with his hands in from of his pained area as if something else might happen to them. His eyes had tears brimming in them as he gasped for air.

The bell rang then and Sissi leaned down to Odd's pained face. "Like I said, I can make your life here miserable." And with that she walked off, leaving Odd curled up on the ground.

Ulrich, Jeremy, and Aelita ran over to him. Ulrich leaned down and looked his friend in the face. "You okay man?" he asked.

"M-maybe. I-I can't really move..." he breathed out.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Ulrich held up three fingers and Odd looked at his warily.

"Five?"

"No, three bro." Ulrich said as he shook his head.

"Oh..."

Jeremy was leaning down as well and he started laughing, but this didn't go down so well with the pointy-haired boy as he brought up his fist and punched Jeremy right in the nether-regions as well, this making Aelita and Ulrich flinch.

Jeremy gave a shout of pain as he then curled up in the grass as well.

"I have a feeling you guys might need some ice on those later..." Aelita said timidly.

**...**

**Ball tap! XD **

**And this concludes chapter 14. (:**

**Get ready for some angst in later chapters people! Just preparing youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 15**

Sitting in the cafeteria, it was a Monday. So, naturally, everyone was tired after having a weekend of sleeping in and not having classes. But the school seemed to have woken up more since that morning and everyone was conversing.

"Okay now, who was the first president?" Jeremy asked as potatoes were scooped onto his plate by the lunch lady.

"George Washington, duh." Odd answered. "Even _I_ know that Jeremy."

"That's true, Jeremy." The lunchlady said as Odd grabbed a bowl of jell-o. "I'm pretty sure everyone in the English language knows that."

"Thank you, Rosa." Odd said, smiling.

"Alright then, when did he _become_ our first president?" Jeremy asked.

He thought for a moment. "Seventeen…eighty…eighty…nine!" At first sounding unsure, then he said in a prouder voice, "Seventeen eighty nine."

"Very good!" Jeremy said as they walked out of the line and to the lunch table. "You know, you've gotten a lot better in these past few weeks."

"Thanks, Jer." He accepted the compliment with a smile. "And…ya know…thanks for…helping me…"

Jeremy smiled back. "No problem."

And it was then that the others got to the table and they began to talk about various other things, until they were interrupted.

"Well hello there." A sneering voice said from beside the table.

"Well, my day is now so much better because I have a tramp beside me…" Odd said as he then took a drink from his soda.

"Oh don't be so sour Oddball." Sissi said as she held her tray. "You're just mad because I embaress you all the time."

"Oh hun, you haven't embaressed me _once_." Odd said.

"Sissi, why don't you just leave us alone?" Aelita asked, anger in her voice.

"Oh, sweetie, why would I do that when I have so much fun tormenting you? Of course, I torment the whole school but…you guys are the most fun." Sissi grinned.

"Well we are so flattered Sissi." Yumi said with venomous sarcasm.

"Yeah, as much as we'd love to keep on with this conversation, why don't you and your…um…lackies, go somewhere else?" Odd said, gesturing to the one blonde and one with glasses that he'd noticed was almost always following Sissi around.

"We are not lackies!" the one with glasses said angrily.

"Oh? Is that so bro?" Odd asked, grinning at him.

"Yeah! That is so! And don't call me bro, I'm not your bro!"

Odd snapped his fingers then in mock dissapointment. "Darn, I was really hoping we were."

The kid grinded his teeth in anger as he kept shooting daggers at the pointy-haired boy. "And, uh, how about the one that never says anything?" At this, the blonde one looked up at him. "Hey dumpy!" Odd said as he smiled at him, but he didn't get a response. "No? Alright, no hi back…"

The whole table was snickering, and the kid with glasses noticed this as well as Sissi. "Wipe those grins off of your faces!" the boy demanded. "And _you_…" he pointed a warning finger at Odd. "You are on thin ice!"

There was a pause, and then the response to the threat was chuckling.

"Stop laughing!" the kid shouted. "You think you're so cool and such a hot shot with you and your, whatever you are! But you're not a hot shot so why don't you just go back to wherever you came from!"

"Woah, okay buddy, lets calm down." Odd said, still grinning as he held up his hands in a surrendering way. "What's your name anyway?"

"Herve Pichon! And that is Nicholas Poliakoff!" Herve pointed a thumb at his friend behind him who still stood silently.

"Oh, hey Nicholas." Odd gave a small wave, but he still didn't get a response. "Dude, what's his problem?" he then asked Aelita beside him, but she just shrugged.

"I think he's just really shy." She answered.

Odd shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that. At least he's not like goggles and bitch tits over here."

"Alright, that's it!" Herve shouted as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. "Let's go!"

"Wait!" Sissi said as she held out an arm in front of Herve's face. "I'll take care of this."

She grabbed a milkshake from the table behind her with a 'hey!' from the owner of it. And she took the lid off and dumped it in front of her. But it didn't land on the one she wanted as a hand shot out and knocked it out of her grasp and back towards her. And along with this, the owner of the hand was laying across Odd's lap.

Sissi squealed as she saw the chocolate milkshake all over her pink shirt and white shorts. "My clothes!"

Aelita grinned from her spot on Odd's lap and then sat up. "Thanks!" he said.

"No problem." She smiled at him.

There was then a grip on Odd's shirt collar as he felt someone pull on it in a threatening way. "You won't be smiling like that for long!" Herve said as he held the tight grip on Odd's shirt. By now, the whole cafeteria was watching and Rosa seemed to have gone back in the kitchen for something.

Odd sighed and rolled his eyes as he continued facing the table, unfazed by this threat. "Herve. Let go of my shirt." He said calmly.

"No! You'll pay for what you…or Aelita…whatever! It's you're fault that Sissi is covered in a chocolate milkshake and you're gonna pay!" he lifted up a fist, reared back and ready to strike.

Odd closed his eyes, looking as if he was trying to stay calm. "Get off." He said through his teeth.

Aelita could sense danger along with the rest of the table. But none of them knew about that fight that had almost gone down at the club a few weeks ago between Odd and Ron.

"I-I'm going to punch you so hard it-it-"

"Knock his lights out Herve!" they heard Sissi cry from over at the napkin dispenser as she was wiping herself off, Nicholas helping.

Hearing this gave Herve a new surge of courage as he reared his fist back more and went for the punch, only to be stopped by Odd's hand grabbing it and holding it…tight. Not expecting this, Herve let go of the shirt collar as Odd stood up from his seat and held Herve's fist so tight that it cracked the knuckles and bent his hand back.

"Ow! Ow! Stop it! I'm sorry!" Herve cried as he felt the pain increase.

Ulrich stood up to stop what was going on but halted as he saw Aelita reach out her hand and touch Odd's tightly gripped one. The touch was so gentle and yet Odd felt it as he looked behind him to see Aelita's face that told him clearly to stop what he was doing.

What was once a hard face of anger turned into a calmer one, though his face still showed anger as he let go of Herve and he slumped out of his grasp, whimpering and holding his hand.

Aelita gave him a small smile and she stood up. "You want to leave?" she asked quietly, and he nodded.

"Okay, let's go." She said as they then began walking out. "See you guys later." She said to Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremy.

But once they were at the door, they heard a battle cry coming up behind them.

They both turned just in time to see Herve barging toward them. But not enough time to move as Herve's fist charged, hard in the side of Odd's face, knocking his head to the side.

There was a short pause in which Odd processed what had just happened and he turned his head slowly toward the boy with glasses, his breathing heavy. "Odd…" Aelita said about to reach for him again, but she was interrupted as Odd punched Herve square in the face, knocking him into a table.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" the whole cafeteria immediately started cheering.

Herve came back at Odd, wobbly and his nose bleeding as he attempted another blow, but Odd stopped him by grabbing his shirt collar and punching him again and then swinging him down into the corner of the table again.

Herve was going to go back and try again but was stopped as Nicholas grabbed him from behind and Ulrich came behind Odd and grabbed him around the middle to stop the fight.

"Aw, come on!" There were protests from the crowd but the doors to the cafeteria then swung open as the principle came in. Along with Mr. Bubbles.

"What is going on in here? !" Mr. Delmas shouted.

Looking from Herve to Odd, he wasen't sure whether to be surprised or not. It wasen't too often that they had fights at Kadic.

"What happened here?" he asked as he came over to them and the other students went back to their tables.

Mr. Bubbles looked down at Odd with a dangerous look. He noticed how Odd had hardly anything wrong with him other then a small bruise on the side of his face, while the other had a bloody nose and a split lip.

"Up to my office! Now!" Mr. Delmas said angrily. "And Herve, get a tissue for that nose."

Herve was guided by the principle as Mr. Bubbles grabbed Odd by the shoulder tightly and dragged him along. Leaving his friends behind wondering what was going to happen.

…

"Foolish! You think you were cool having this fight? Is that was it is? !" Mr. Bubbles shouted at Odd.

They had all met and figured out what had happened, and now Mr. Bubbles was in Mr. Delmas' office alone with Odd.

"You think that it was okay to beat up that kid? !"

"He started it!" Odd shouted back.

"That's not an excuse!" the officer shouted back. "If you want to ever see your mom again, you're going to have to-"

"I know! I've been studying! I"ve been acting better in class! This was just a little slip!"

"A little slip? !" Mr. Bubbles asked incredulously. "This was not a little slip, Odd! You beat a kid up!"

"It wasen't that bad!"

"Oh it wasen't?" Mr. Bubbles said. "He has a split lip and a broken nose. How is that not that bad?"

"I've done worse." Was Odd's response.

Mr. Bubbles laughed with anger. "You've done worse…Oh man." He then spoke in a low and menacing voice. "You think I don't know that?"

…

In class the next day, talk had already gone around about the fight. Everyone knew about it and everyone kept staring at Odd and Herve whenever they saw them in the hallway.

When Odd had walked into the classroom in first mod that morning, he could feel other's eyes.

"Wow. You're all over the school." Jeremy said.

"Yay." Was all Odd's response as he put his chin on his arms and his arms on the desk.

Figuring that he wasen't in the mood to talk, Aelita, Jeremy, and Ulrich just let him sulk until he was ready to talk to them.

Through second mod and through lunch, Odd seemed to be more cheered up as they all began talking and having conversation together. But it all went downhill again in the last mod of the day.

"So, we're going to the ice cream parlor after school?" Ulrich asked.

"Yeah buddy." Odd said. "It probably won't be as hot as the last time we went."

"No duh considering that it's almost winter." Ulrich said.

And it was, it was almost strange to think that Odd had been there for almost a whole semester now. But it had been an interesting one deffinetly.

"Okay class, let's get started." Mrs. Hertz said as she began writing on the chalk board. They had her for science as well as history. "Now, who can say what another name for the Civil War was?"

Jeremy and Aelita raised their hands. But there was another hand that was unexpected.

Mrs. Hertz's eyes widened a bit with surprise. "U-um…Odd?"

The whole class turned around in surprise as well as his friends that were sitting around him.

"War between the states." He answered.

"Y-yes. Very good!" she said as she then turned and wrote it on the board.

Ulrich then turned to Jeremy with a surprised look on his face. "When did that start happening?" he pointed a thumb back at Odd.

"Tutoring can do wonders my friend." Jeremy said, grinning.

"Well I must say you're doing a pretty good job. I mean, I'm pretty sure this is the first time he's ever raised his hand in this class. Or…any classes for that mat-"

"Attention students of Kadic!" a voice came on the innercom.

The students all looked up at the device with confusion, along with the teacher. Not that getting an announcement was strange. But it was strange when it was Sissi's voice coming over the com.

"Is that…Sissi?" Ulrich asked.

"As you all know, I am Sissi Delmas! The principle's daughter." She kept talking proudly. "And also, I'm sure you all know of our new student? Well…he's not necessarily new anymore. But he came here at the beginning of the school year."

Everyone had puzzled looks on there faces as Aelita and Odd turned their heads toward each other with wide eyes.

"His name is Odd Dellarobia."

At this, the whole class turned to look at him.

"Odd Dellarobia is a wise character with many motives and goals in life. Insert sarcasm there. He is quite…interesting and hardly ever fails to get a good laugh out of someone."

The class was so quiet as they listened to the random announcement aside from the muttering.

"Including me, when I got a phone call one night a few weeks ago from a horny Odd Dellarobia."

Odd's eyes then got wide. "Oh no…" he said in a low, horrified voice.

"So behold Kadic, the wonders of alcohol and Odd…"

There was a pause in the random announcement until Odd's voice came on the intercom.

"Heeeeeeeeyyyy there sexy lady." His slurred voice was going all about the school as students and teachers listened all throughout the school. "There's somzing I really reaaaallyy wanna shay ta you…"

Some students were covering their mouths and others were staring with mouths open at the comm.

"I love tha way you walk roun' with your little shortz and yer-yer tank top. Tha way your hair is all soft and-and cool. And your laugh is the cutest little thing I've ever heard."

Ulrich and Jeremy turned in their seats slowly to see Odd, full on blushing which is something they'd never seen before. His eyes wide and his mouth open as he listened to himself going all trhoughout the school to many ears.

"I jhust wanna get crazy wit you jus-jus get _crazy_. We can just roll around in the hay and go _crazy_."

Odd's pencil fell out of his hand, unnoticed by him, and it rolled off the table and onto the floor.

"I waz in some hay and I rode a bull and-and when I think about it now…the-the bull remindz me of you."

The com then went quiet, leaving the classroom so awkward you could practically cut the awkwardness with a knife. But Sissi's voice then came on the intercom again.

"Odd Dellarobia…" she said happily. "You've just been publically humiliated."

And with that, the announcement ended. The whole class was quiet, even Mrs. Hertz was standing at the board, mouth open.

Aelita peaked over at Odd beside her and she saw a whole new face she'd never seen before. His mouth was open and his eyes wide, and his face had a deep blush.

She took a shaky breath and started to say his name quietly. "Odd-"

"Excuse me Mrs. Hertz but I-" he stood up quickly and saw how the class was staring at him. Some laughing, some with just looks of shock, and a couple with dissaproval. "I have to go…" he said, and he hurried out of the classroom.

Odd Dellarobia had finally been embaressed.

But the others couldn't help but wonder what had Odd been talking about during that phone call. Was he just drunk out of his mind and was talking nonsense? Or had he done the dirty with Sissi and no one knew about it?

And another question was... Why would Sissi show it if he'd been talking about her?

**...**

**I got the phone call idea from the Glee episode, Blame It On The Alcohol.**

**GLEE! :D  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter** **16**

"Odd!"

Someone called his name as he walked fast-paced down the hallway. He didn't plan on stopping, no matter who was calling him. Whether it was Ulrich, Jeremy, Mrs. Hertz, Gym, even Aelita.

"Odd! Wait!"

He then heard running steps behind him as the person tried to catch up with him. Even if he did catch up, so what? He didn't feel like talking and he wasen't planning on the person to convince him to talk either.

"Odd!" The person caught up with him and ran up beside him, slowing down to a fast walk. "What was that all about?" Ulrich asked as he tried keeping up with his friend.

But Odd didn't feel like talking, his brows were furrowed deeply and his eyes closed so he wouldn't have to look at his friend.

"Odd..." Ulrich tried again. "Tell me what that was. Why did you call Sissi and say all those things?"

He still wasen't listening as he continued walking quickly, he was happy that it was still during class time so no one was in the hallway.

"Odd, will you just listen to me?" But he wasen't listening, and Ulrich soon got tired of this behavior though as he walked a little faster and stopped in front of Odd. "Hey! I'm trying to talk to y-" But he was interrupted as the boy just stepped around him and continued walking.

By now, Ulrich was annoyed at his friend's behavior and he grabbed his bookbag and swung him back. He brought Odd against the wall and Ulrich's hands were pressed against the bricks beside his friend to serve as a barrier so he couldn't get out.

"Odd!" Ulrich's face was close to his friend's as he demanded for his attention. _'There's no avoiding me now_._'_ he thought as he saw the realization of this on his friend's face. But Odd was keeping his attention away from Ulrich as he kept his eyes closed and his head turned.

"What was that all about?" Ulrich didn't get an answer so he tried again. "Odd, please just say something."

"What was it about?" Odd said quietly. "It was a drunk dial, that's what it was about."

"I know that, but why to Sissi?" Ulrich asked urgently. "You two didn't...you know..."

Odd didn't answer though as he stayed tight lipped and turned away. Ulrich slammed his hand hard against the bricks, making Odd jump a bit in surprise. "Odd!" Ulrich said sharply. "Did you and Sissi-"

"No."

"No?" Ulrich questioned.

"No."

"If you didn't then look me in the eyes and say you didn't."

Odd opened his eyes and looked at his friend, his face still pulled into a scowl. "No."

Ulrich stared at him a little longer and then took a breath. "Then why Sissi?"

"I didn't call Sissi."

"What do you mean you didn't call Sissi?" Ulrich asked. "You clearly did, it was on her phone."

"It wasen't her phone." Odd answered shortly still.

"Oh really?" Ulrich scoffed. "Then who's phone was it, because I'm pretty sure she said that _she_ received a drunk dial from you. And I'm pretty sure it was from the night we went partying."

Odd looked at the ground, again not making eye contact with the brunette. There was something that Odd wasen't telling Ulrich, and he wanted to know what it was. He was tired of being left in the dark by his friend, he needed to learn that he could trust him.

"Do you know how much trouble you could get in, how much trouble you're probably in now, for doing that to the principal's daughter?" Ulrich said in a low, angry voice. "Do you know how much trouble _I_ could get in if the principal finds out that I was with you when you dialed that call? Do you know how much trouble that Yumi, Jeremy, and Aelita could get into if the principal were to find out about how we were there when this happened?" Ulrich could see by Odd's grimace at these questions that he was starting to break him so he kept going. "Do you even care that the principal could call our parents? Or that he could have us expelled or at least suspended for leaving campus so late and staying at a stranger's house until morning to add on to our skipping class? Do you know what my parents will do if they find out that I went out and partied-"

"I DO KNOW OKAY?" Odd shouted, looking his friend in the eyes. Ulrich's face stayed in a frown despite the shout he'd received. "I know..." Odd then said in a quieter voice.

"Then stop feeding me the crap about it not being Sissi's phone, at least man up to it instead of-"

"But it wasen't hers!"

"Odd..."

"You think you'd know by now that Sissi can take someone's phone." Odd said.

Ulrich looked at him and sighed. "Alright, fine. If it wasen't her phone that you were calling, then who's was it?"

Odd's face then got softer along with his voice. His eyes showed slight fear and worry as he looked Ulrich in the eyes. "That's the problem." he said in a quiet voice. "I don't know. I don't remember."

The brunette noticed the barely visible fear in his friend's eyes as he said these words to him, and his face softened as well.

"I don't remember." he said again as he shook his head. "I've been forgetting everything lately, having strange feelings of intense anger over hardly anything..."

_'Herve.'_ Ulrich thought to himself, remember the incident that happened not too long ago.

"I've hardly eaten anything for the past few weeks. I've been seeing things that aren't really there." he continued with his list of worries and then he looked back up at Ulrich again. "I don't remember who I called, when I just remembered just a few days ago." Odd said in a quiet tone that also showed his worry. "I don't remember and that scares me."

Ulrich slid his hands slowly off the cold wall and he brought them to Odd's shoulders. "Have you checked it out with Yolanda?"

Odd shook his head. "No."

"Well, we're having check ups tomorrow, Yolanda will probably tell you if anything's wrong." Ulrich answered. He then backed away from the boy so he could have space. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But I'm not going back in that classroom."

Ulrich nodded in understanding. "Fair enough."

Odd turned and started walking back to leave the hallway when he noticed that Ulrich was walking with him. "What are you doing?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Coming with you." he answered simply, hands behind his head with a grin on his face. "Is that a problem?"

Odd smiled back. "Not at all good buddy."

**...**

"How could you do this Sissi?" Mr. Delmas demanded at his desk. His daughter was sitting in the chair on the other side with a guilty yet pleased look on her face. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I could get in for that?"

"I know daddy, I'm sorry! I just-"

"You just nothing!" he shouted at her, making her flinch. "I've already had to deal with your bullying, you're abnormal need to make others upset, and now I have to deal with you talking over my intercom?"

Sissi listened to him shout at her as he named the list of things off on his fingers. She haden't realized that he'd heard of all of the bullying that she did, if you were to call it bullying. She just called it putting the other kids in their place. Hearing herself being called a bully made her cringe. Sure she'd heard it before, but not from her own father.

"Sissi, since I feel a bit strange for putting my own daughter in detention, I'm grounding you for a long time."

"How long?" she asked feebly.

"For as long as I say."

"But daddy-!"

"No buts!" he snapped at her, making her shut up immediately. "And another thing..." he raised a finger for his point. "I want you to go around to every teacher in the school and apologize for causing such a disruption."

She nodded. "Okay."

"And another thing..." he held up two fingers and Sissi looked up at him. "I want you to apologize to Mr. Dellarobia."

"WHAT?" she shrieked.

"You heard me." Mr. Delmas crossed his arms across his chest with authoritative attitude.

"B-but! But-!"

"Didn't I say no buts?" he scolded her.

"Why aren't you punishing him?" she asked, upset at what her father had just ordered her to do.

"I will punish him. But I need to punish you too." he said, looking at her from over his glasses. "Just because you're my daughter, doesn't mean I won't punish you. I'm the principal and I will punish every student fairly."

Sissi's bottom lip puffed out in a pout as she thought about how in the world she was going to apologize.

"I also want you to apologize to the girl that you stole this from." Mr. Delmas held up a phone in his hand.

Sissi sighed and held out her hand. "Okay daddy..."

Mr. Delmas placed the phone in her hand and she stood up and walked to the door. The principal stopped her. "Sissi?"

"Yes?" she turned her head to her father.

"I love you sweetheart." he said. "But you just need to learn how much your words and actions can really hurt people."

She nodded. "Okay daddy. I can look into it. And I love you too."

Closing the office door behind her, she looked at the girl's phone in her hand and her pout was then replaced with a cruel smirk.

**...**

The cafeteria filled up with students about an hour later, Odd and Ulrich were already there sitting at their usual table when the others came up.

"Hello!" Aelita said happily.

The two boys could tell that she was trying to lighten the mood when she saw the way that Ulrich was eating his food and Odd was just poking at his with his head turned sideways on the table.

"I brought you your stuff Ulrich." Jeremy said as he placed the bookbag beside Ulrich's chair.

"Thanks."

"And I have a question now..." he said as he took a bite of brussel sprout and looked at Odd pointedly.

Odd looked up at him with his head still on the table. "Hm?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" he mumbled, still poking his brussel sprout across his tray.

"Jeremy..." Ulrich warned.

"No, no! I'm just wondering!" he said to Ulrich and he then looked back at Odd. "Why?"

"Why what Jeremy?" He mumbled.

"Why what?" Jeremy laughed. "Odd...did you not just hear the announcement we got from miss princess?"

Odd watched kids walk by and point at him, whispering to themselves. He also could see students sitting at the tables pointing and staring at him. Once catching his eye they would turn and talk amongst themselves. Odd sighed. "Yeah, I think the whole school heard it."

"Well...aren't you-"

"Yes Jeremy! I'm embaressed okay?" he snapped at him, bringing his head up off of the table.

Aelita sank into her chair and Ulrich sipped out of his cup awkwardly. Jeremy just looked at the boy across from him, brussel sprout halfway to his mouth. "Actually, I was going to say, aren't you mad?"

Aelita nd Ulrich looked at him surprised. Odd cocked his head. "What?"

"Aren't you mad?"

"Am I...mad?"

"Yeah. Are you mad. I'm pretty sure that's not a foreign concept to you." Jeremy said as he ate his brussel sprout. "Or did you not beat Herve up a few days ago?"

Odd slumped back onto the table and continued playing with his food that he haden't taken a bite of. Jeremy watched him. "Aren't you mad at Sissi, Odd?"

"Yeah...I'm really mad at her." He mumbled as he slipped the tong of his fork into the hole of a noodle.

"Well then?" he asked. "Aren't you going to get her back?"

"What?" he lifted his head a bit off the table and looked at him surprised, along with Aelita and Ulrich.

"Are you going to get her back?" he asked again.

"Um...I mean...yeah probably." he answered. "Why?"

"Wrong!" Jeremy said, flinging a brussel sprout off of his fork and into Odd's face.

"Agh!" he sat up after the vegetable hit his nose. "You flung a tiny, circular, green vegetable at me!"

"You answered my question wrong."

"Wha-?"

"You are _not _getting back at Sissi!" he said with his arms crossed. "You've gotten into too much trouble already! In the future then...maybe you can get back at her."

Odd scoffed. "Okay _dad_." A noodle then flung across the table and hit him in the nose. "You know...flinging food isn't the solution to everything." Then, another noodle shot across the table and hit him in the face. "You call me immature, but _you're _the one being immature!" Another noodle then hit him in the face again. He snatched it up and ate it. "There! It's delicious!" he said as he stood up and took his tray, walking away from the table. "Now go study!" Jeremy ordered as he walked away.

"Fine! I will!"

Aelita giggled. "Strangest boy I think I've ever met." Jeremy said as he shook his head.

On Odd's way out, Yumi was walking in. She caught Odd's eye but didn't say anything as she went to go and get her food. Once sitting down, she took a bite of a roll. Ulrich watched her with suspicion. "What was that awkward eye contact with you two? Are you in a fight?"

She shrugged. "Nope."

Ulrich seemed unconvinced though as he continued staring at her. She gave him a reasurring smile and he went back to his food.

**...**

"Odd Dellarobia!" A voice called from across the courtyard.

Odd stopped walking and turned around, two girls were running up to him. One with a microphone and one with a camera. They looked extremely excited to see him though he'd never talked to them before. "Um...hello?"

"We would like to ask you a few questions!" the little, red-haired girl said excitedly.

"Um..." Odd looked around awkwardly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Milly and this is Tamia." The other girl waved a hello and he waved back uncertainly. "We write the school newspaper."

"School newspaper huh?" he questioned. "And what do you want to interview me for?"

"Well, I'm sure you know of that announcement we got from the principal's daughter Sissi..."

**...**

Sissi Delmas walked across the courtyard, the girl's phone that she'd stolen behind her back. She smugly grinned as she strutted with her pink jacket and white jeans on. Humming merrily until she heard a voice that she dreaded a few feet away from her.

"I told you, I don't want to answer any questions about that announcement." Odd said to Milly and Tamia.

"Oh come on! Please?" Tamia asked.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Hello kiddies." Sissi said as she walked up to them, hand on her hip. "Why bother with a lost cause? Don't you know that trash belongs in the garbage?"

Odd glared at her. "Sissi, as much as I appreciate you stealing someone's phone and playing a drunk dial, insert sarcasm there, I would really be happy if you would just go away."

"Oh, feisty are we? And don't worry, I don't like being around either of you three losers. But I would like to apologize, Odd. But only because my father has ordered me to."

"Appreciate it." he spat at her.

"As much as I enjoy getting juicy stories..." Milly said. "I do have to say that that was a pretty rude thing to do Sissi."

"Very rude!" Tamia said.

"Like I care was two little girls think!" Sissi laughed. "See you 'round kiddies! I have some people to see, chaos to cause." she ruffled the two girl's hair as she walked away.

Milly stomped her foot and gave a cry of frustration. "I can't _stand _her!"

Odd watched Sissi walk away and then looked at the two girls standing in front of him. He thought for a second and then got the attention of the two girls again. "You know...I think I want to do that interview now."

Milly and Tamia swung around and looked at him with joy on their faces as if he'd just told them that they won a million dollars.

**...**

Yumi, Ulrich, Jeremy and Aelita were all still sitting in the cafeteria when William walked up to their table. "Hey guys." he greeted as he swung up a chair to sit down. "What's up? And...where's Odd?" He asked looking around.

"Off to study." Ulrich answered. "I think..."

"That announcement...man..." William said as he shook his head and smiled. "Pretty rough stuff huh?"

"Very rough." Sissi sneered as she came up by William's chair and placed her hand on the top. "Or you can just call it payback."

"What do you want Sissi?" Ulrich spat at her.

"Ulrich dear! I'm just coming by to return something of one of your group members!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Well, Odd didn't drunk dial me." Sissi said.

"So?" Ulrich said as Jeremy and Aelita looked at each other with surprise.

"So...the phone that the drunk dial went to was stored in one your phones." Sissi said as her eyes roamed about the table. She then removed the phone from behind her back and reached her arm out. Everyone's heads turned as Yumi saw the phone waggling in front of her face.

Ulrich's eyes widened as he saw Yumi take it and blush as everyone's eyes fell on her and widened as well.

_'No way...'_ They all were seeming to think at the same time.

_'Heyyyyy therrrre sexy lady.' _Ulrich remembered Odd's voice through the intercom as his drunken slurr talked about a girl that he seemed to have an attraction to. Odd, his best friend, calling his crush a sexy lady.

_'I love tha way you walk roun in yer little shortz and yer-yer tank top.'_

_'Yer laugh is the cutest thing I've ever heard.'_

Ulrich's face clouded over with anger. He felt betrayed, angry, he wanted to go find Odd and strangle him.

_'I wanna get crazy wit you'_

Ulrich's fists clenched so hard that the knuckles were white.

_'The bull reminded me of you...'_

Ulrich stood up and his chair screeched back and into the table behind him. His friends watched as he stormed out, they looked at each other and then followed. 

Ulrich stomped across the courtyard. When he found Odd, he wanted to make him feel as bad as he did at that very moment.


	17. Chapter 17

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 17**

Odd threw the scissors down onto the desk, it clanked and bounced off of the computer keyboard and fell onto the floor. He supported himself with both hands on the desk and breathed heavily. The sun shined through the blinds making bright stripes of lights dance on his skin every time he moved. His hands formed into fists and the knuckles turned white. His breathing was shallow and he crouched so low that his head was almost touching the desk.

"ODD!" A shout came from down the hall outside of the room. Odd's head shot up and he opened his eyes. He then heard stomping coming from outside his door and he quickly grabbed the clear straw and threw it in the trash. He then sweeped any of the excess powder off of the desk. And right on time because the door handle jiggled and he heard Ulrich talking angrily outside the door. What was wrong with him?

The door then swung open and banged against the wall and Ulrich stomped into the room. "Hey Ul-" The blonde boy started to say, but Ulrich grabbed Odd's shirt neck and shoved him against the computer desk. "Don't you 'Hey Ulrich' me!" he shouted at him.

"What-what are you-?"

"WHY DID YOU CALL YUMI AND SAY ALL THOSE THINGS?"

"I don't know what you're-what are you-?" Odd stammered.

"_You_ called Yumi!" Ulrich shoved him harder into the edge of the desk. "_You_ left her that voice mail message that was on the announcement! What did you two do on that night?"

"We didn't do anything!" Odd said, normally this would have been his time to fight back. But strangely, he wasen't. What was wrong with him? Why wasn't he fighting back?

"Don't lie to me!" Ulrich shouted. "You two did it didn't you?"

"I-"

"DIDN'T YOU?"

"Ulrich!" Yumi shouted as she ran in and tried to pull him off of Odd. He obeyed and he backed off but he glared dangerous daggers at his friend who seemed to have betrayed him. "Don't get after me Yumi! He-!"

"No, Ulrich!" she shouted at him and held his shoulders and pushed him against a wall. "No we didn't!"

"But-but the message-!"

"Meant nothing." she said coldly.

Aelita and Jeremy then ran into the room. Aelita ran over to Odd and gripped his shoulder. "H-hey Aelita." he said weakly.

"Odd, are you okay?" she asked timidly, noting the way his face was flushed and a bead of sweat dripped from his hairline.

"I'm fine." he said rather coldly. "Ulrich, you're overreacting."

"I am not overreacting!" Ulrich shouted as he broke away from Yumi.

"Yes, yes you are." Odd said, breathing hard as if he'd just ran a mile.

"You left the message! You two did something! And I want to know what it was!" Ulrich swung back and was going to for a punch but he froze as he watched his friend with anger. Odd looked slowly up at him. "Are you going to hit me Ulrich?"

"Why are you acting so calm?" Ulrich spat. "You don't act calm when you're being threatened! Are you not threatened by me?"

"I don't-"

"Punch me then!" Ulrich said, stepping into Odd's face. "Punch me in the face!"

"I'm not going to hit you Ulrich." He croaked.

"Why not huh? Why won't you-"

In the next moment though, his friend swayed and tried to catch his balance on the desk but failed as he collapsed onto the ground. "Odd!" Aelita cried as she went to his side and knelt down. "He's burning up!"

"We should take him to Yolanda." Jeremy said as he knelt down.

"What-what happened?" Ulrich stammered in shock as he looked at Yumi.

"Why is his breathing so shallow Jeremy?" Aelita panicked.

"I don't know Aelita! Let's just get him out of here." Jeremy said as he knelt down and tried to wake him up. "Get some of that water." he gestured to the water bottle that sat on the computer desk.

Ulrich crouched down beside Odd. "Odd?" he asked shakily. "Can you hear me?"

"Here!" Aelita said, handing Jeremy the water bottle. He grasped it and put some in his hand and spread it across Odd's pale face. "It's not working, I'll go and get Yolanda."

But there was then a small groan as Odd opened his eyes. "Odd! Are you okay?" Aelita asked.

"D'know." he croaked.

"Come on, lets get you to Yolanda." Ulrich said as he began hoisting him up of the floor. He swung Odd's arm around his shoulders and one was around Aelita's and she had one hand on his chest, helping in up though he hardly weighed a thing. "Why are you so light?"

"It's probably because he hasn't eaten hardly anything for two days." Ulrich said.

"What? !" Yumi asked, shocked.

"I'm sorry Ulrich. Yumi and I didn't do anything, really." Odd said in a quiet, tired voice. He looked so disoriented as they hobbled out the door.

"I know. It's okay really." Ulrich comforted him. "We'll talk about it later. Let's just get you to Yolanda."

"I'll inform her that he's coming." Yumi said, and she took off running.

**...**

**I know, short chapter. Sorry!**


	18. Chapter 18

Share

An A/N right now, to the one that reviewed saying that Odd's hair wasn't spiked because he liked to, it happened on Lyoko lalala, well, in case no one noticed...this fic doesn't have Lyoko in it! Sorry, not being too rude now but it bothers me when I already answered in a question in an A/N. So...yeah. Anyways...on with the chapter! :D

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 18**

"I don't-I don't need to go to the nurse..." Odd mumbled as Ulrich and Jeremy supported him down the hallway.

"Yes you do Odd." Ulrich said for what seemed to be the billionth time. This kid was so persistent to not see the nurse and he wasn't sure why.

"No I don't..."

"Odd..." Aelita said softly but she was interrupted as they reached the nurse's door and Jeremy reached forward and turned the knob. But his hand was then stopped by a warm one, "Don't take me in there, please?" Odd pleaded again and Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Odd. It's fine. But you're not so you need to come in here and-"

The pointy haired student mumbled something beyond understanding as he slid his hand off Jeremy's hand and his head slumped in a defeated way.

Jeremy narrowed his eyes and turned the knob again and opened the door. Yolanda stood in there waiting for them with Yumi beside her. "Oh, there you are! Yumi just told me-" but she stopped talking as she saw the disoriented student in between the two supporting him. "Oh dear! What happened?" She bustled forward and removed him from Jeremy and Ulrich's holds.

"Like I said Yolanda..." Yumi said, worry in her voice. "He just collapsed after a...falling out with Ulrich...and he had a high fever."

The blonde woman had lead Odd over to a bed and was putting her hand all over his face. Her smooth hands smelt of lotion and disinfectant, they felt cold on his hot skin. "It seems to have gone down." she commented. "How have you been feeling all day?"

"Hm?" Odd asked as he began swinging his feet because they couldn't quite touch the floor.

"I said, how have you felt all day?" Yolanda repeated.

"Chipper." he replied as he grinned at her.

"Chi-chipper?" she stammered uncertainly and she turned back to the four behind her and they shrugged. "You've felt chipper all day?" she repeated as she turned back to him.

"Yes ma'am!" Odd said happily. "Chipper like a grasshopper! What's the time? Oh dear, five o'clock. Better head back up to the dorm rooms, bye!" he then hopped up off the bed and made a quick exit for the door but Yolanda grabbed his arm.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold it there!" she said. "You shouldn't go anywhere until I check you out more."

"Woah, woah, woah." He giggled as he mocked her.

"Are you...mocking me?"

"Are you mocking me?" He mimicked again.

"Yeah, you're not going anywhere until I check you out." she said as she easily led him back over to the bed. She then got out a clean thermometer and went to put it under his tongue. "Watch the tongue ring miss, it doesn't like thermometers." he giggled.

"Oh no..." Ulrich mumbled as Aelita muttered to the others, "He has a tongue ring?"

"It's silver!" he called as Yolanda tried putting the stick in his mouth. He then tapped her nose with his finger. "Silver." he repeated.

"He's high _again._" Ulrich hissed at the other three and Yumi slapped a hand to her face. "Great...now what?" she asked.

"I don't know..."

"Well now he'll probably deffinetly get expelled." Jeremy whispered back.

"NO!" Aelita shouted and Yolanda jumped as she turned from finally successfully putting the device in Odd's mouth. He spit it out as he called, "Nope!"

"Great...I finally get it in his mouth-"

The students then saw Odd sticking his tongue out at Yolanda from behind her back. "Okay!" Ulrich said as he rushed forward and grabbed Odd by the arm and dragged him out. "I think he's acting just fine I guess we should just go and...uh...yeah..."

They all rushed down the hallway while Ulrich half dragged Odd along with him. Theo passed by them in one of the outside hallways. "Hey Odd, Ulrich!" he grinned and waved at them. "You trying out for basketball at all?"

"Uh, yeah sure. In a few weeks right? Yeah, okay. Bye!" Ulrich talked quickly as they rushed down the hallway past him.

"O-okay...see ya later!" he called to them as he was being left behind. "Weird..." he mumbled and shook his head as he turned and walked away.

Ulrich sat Odd forcefully down on the bed. "_What is wrong with you_?" he hissed.

"So many things Ulrich dear. So many." Odd grinned as he sat back against the wall and Jeremy slapped a hand to his face.

"Seriously...do oyou have any idea how-"

A knock interrupted Ulrich's reprimanding and they all looked at it with a deer-caught-in-headlights expression. "Ulrich? Odd?" a deep voice came form outside the door.

"It's Mr. Bubbles!" Yumi whispered urgently.

"What do we do now?" Aelita whispered as well.

"Uh-uh...I'll handle it." Ulrich said as he rushed for the door and opened it. "Hello!" he greeted a little too cheerful.

"Hello, Ulrich." the large man greeted. "Is Odd in? I have to-"

"Oh-pssht..." Ulrich grinned and waved the question away. "Funny thing is, you just missed him!"

"Oh really?" he made a move forward to check but Ulrich stepped forward and closed the door a little more.

"Really. Uh huh!"

Mr. Bubbles cocked an eyebrow at him and stared down at him suspiciously. "You know, I've been in this job for quite a while now. Don't try tricking me son." he warned as Jeremy tried dragging Odd over to the wardrobe. Yumi ran up behind and pushed him in making a loud banging noise. Ulrich got a nervous look on his face as Mr. Bubbles looked past him through the narrow opening. He easily moved Ulrich aside just as Aelita shut the wardrobe door and they all leaped to a spot in the dorm to sit down.

"Hello children." Mr. Bubbles greeted suspiciously. "And how are we on this fine day?"

"Awesome!"

"Great!"

"Fabulous!"

They all answered at the same time and the large man looked around at Aelita sitting on Odd's bed, Yumi sitting on the floor, and Jeremy in the computer chair. "Mhm." he said. "Do any of you know where Odd is?"

"Just left."  
"Cafeteria."

"Principal's."

They all answered at the same time again. But they realized their mistake and looked at each other as if they were blaiming that person for coming up with a lousy answer. "Last time I checked, Odd couldn't be in more than one place at once." Mr. Bubbles said.

"Well...he..." Yumi tried to think of something to say as she looked around at her friends for support.

"He was at the principal's talking about what punishment he was to do for the announcement." Aelita said rather calmly and Mr. Bubbles turned to look at her curiously. "Oh?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "Yeah." she said. "And then he went to the cafeteria and we followed him up here and now we don't know where he is."

The others made noises of agreement and nodded their heads. There was then a loud bang coming from inside the wardrobe and the others tried to pretend like nothing had happened though their eyes grew wide.

"That's the-uh-mouse!" Yumi said.

"I'm sure." Mr. Bubbles said as he walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors to reveal the blonde-haired boy in his red and black checkered skinny jeans inside. He looked up at him and nodded. "Sup?"

Mr. Bubbles sighed. "Just as I thought."

"You thought I was in the wardrobe?" Odd asked.

"No, I thought your friends were lying."

"But you said that you thought I was in the wardrobe."

"I never said that." he answered.

"But I _really _think that you did-"

"Boy! Get outta the wardrobe!" Mr. Bubbles ordered.

"Okay, okay!" Odd said as he crawled out.

Mr. Bubbles looked at him with his fists on his hips. "What exactly were you doing in the wardrobe?"

"What did it look like? I was sitting." he answered. "Ya know, resting up for the...uh...basketball tryouts."

"The tryouts that will be after break?" the parole officer questioned.

Odd nodded. "Yepp."

"Interesting."

"And it'll be awesome!" Odd cried. "Right Ulrich?" he turned to him as he held up his hand for a high five which Ulrich followed through with. "Right." he answered. Odd then turned to Mr. Bubbles, "Right Bubbles?" he held up a hand for a high five from him but the man didn't budge as he stared down at him. "No? Alright, no high five..." Odd said as he strolled across the room and sat next to Aelita.

"Don't get too comfortable there." Mr. Bubbles said. "I have to talk to you about something."

"Right now?" He complained.

"Yes, right now."

Odd groaned and stood up and shuffled out the door with Mr. Bubbles, leaving his friends in the room.

"How did he get all normal so fast?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know..." Yumi answered.

Ulrich sat on his bed though as he thought. "Hey guys..." the three looked over at him. "If Odd had been smoking something, wouldn't we have been able to smell it?"

"You're right." Aelita said. "What was wrong with him then? One second he was extremely feverish, the next all hyper and crazy, and then back to normal."

After Aelita's comment, they all sat and pondered on what Odd had possibly have been on. And they also wondered where he could have gotten the stuff anyway. And whether it was still in the dorm with them.


	19. Chapter 19

I think I had hit a bit of writers block. But here's the newest installment.

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 19**

**…**

It was early November and it had been two days since the drunk dial incident. After the principal had shouted at Odd for getting drunk somewhere, Mr. Bubbles shouted at him some more and made him do multiple push-ups and chin-ups. Yumi had explained to Ulrich about why Odd had left her that voicemail. Apparently while they were at the club there was some inside joke between the two about all of the things that Odd had said to Yumi in that message. At first, Ulrich wasn't sure whether to believe this but then was extremely happy that they really hadn't done…it.

They weren't quite yet able to joke about the drama, it had been too soon. Probably in about a week they would be able to joke about nearly all the drama that had happened. But more drama was about to unfold…

"So, basketball tryouts today huh?" Jake said as he nudged Odd's shoulder. The group was sitting at their usual bench and were talking when the jockey student came up to them.

"Planning on it." Odd replied.

"All right!" he said with enthusiasm. He then turned to Ulrich. "You too?"

"Of course." Ulrich said. "But I don't know if I'll make the team…again…"

"If you don't then I probably won't." Odd said, taking a drink from his water bottle.

Ulrich shrugged and Jake walked away just as excited footsteps ran up to them from behind. Four arms wrapped around Odd's neck from behind, making him sputter and spill his water all over himself.

"Oh Odd, you did it!" Milly squealed in his ear as Tamiya giggled in happiness.

"Did what?" he asked as they let go of him and he turned to face them.

"It's in the Kadic News!" Tamiya said as she handed him the paper.

The others looked over Odd's shoulder to read the paper as well. "Sissi Delmas, the school's number one drama starter has reached a new record in humiliation. After announcing to the whole school Odd's drunk dial, she managed to embarrass him enough to leave his classroom."

Odd narrowed his eyes at the two younger girls and Milly laughed uncomfortably. "Just keep reading!" Odd rolled his eyes and then went back to the paper, "What the students didn't know was that the drunk dial wasn't to Sissi's phone. It was instead to Yumi Ishiyama's cell phone. But according to her, it was just an inside joke between the two. We had interviewed Odd later that day to get his thoughts on the Sissi announcement and here's what he had to say, 'Aside from Sissi being a total word that I can't say on the school news…I have a feeling that she really has no intention to hurt anybody. That she's really a huge softy. Nah, just kidding, I think she's an insecure girl with nothing better to do then poke fun at people and be a total dim wad. So what if she finally humiliated me in front of the whole school? She thinks she can make my time here miserable but I plan to do the same exact thing to her.'"

"So…what exactly did I do?" Odd asked, looking up at the two girls.

"Sissi is on her toes wondering what you're going to do to her." Tamiya said with an eyebrow cocked up.

"Yeah! She won't admit it, but we can tell that she's bothered." Milly said.

"Oh…well good." Odd grinned and handed the paper back to them, but they gestured for him to keep it.

"Actually…you might want to keep that." Milly said.

"Why?"

"In case you need to hide your face?" Milly said, and Odd gave her a questioning look. "Sissi might be nervous about what you'll do to her. But she's probably planning something for you right now. So in case she finds you, you can hide your face."

There was a pause until Odd started laughing. "Oh Milly…I'm not scared of miss-in-her-own-world."

"Hey!" Someone called over to them and they all looked over to see William jogging over to them in Under Armor clothes. "Basketball tryouts in ten. Come on!"

The gym was filled was boy of different ages, ages that were able to play sports at least. "Okay, okay!" Gym said, walking into the room. "Quiet down! Quiet down!"

Everyone turned their attention to him and he continued talking, "Now, what we're going to do is a few drills and then we'll play a real game to see what you guys can really do."

"Sir yes sir!" The other boys laughed and Gym said, "Very funny Gauthier. Now, let's do some drills!"

"Can we have music?" Theo asked.

"What?" Gym asked.

"Music, can we have some?"

"If anyone has some to play then-" Someone raised their hand and Gym looked over at the boy and rolled his eyes. "I'd love to see what kind of music you have DellaRobia."

"Then can I plug it in?" Odd asked.

"Yeah, yeah. But make sure it's appropriate!" Gym pointed a finger at him as he walked by but he waved it away. "Yeah, yeah Jimbo."

The other boys laughed and Gym turned to them. "Alright everyone! Now let's do some drills!"

The song, _Rain Over Me _by _Pitbull _blasted out of the speakers in the gym as they did their drills. At first, Gym didn't quite approve of the music, but after he realized that it made the students somehow work harder, he let them listen to it.

"Leave it to Odd to take control of the music." Jeremy said as the three watched the basketball tryouts. He then noticed the look on Aelita's face. It was a look of…what was that?

Aelita was gazing at someone on the court with a dreamy look in her eyes and a small smile on her face. "Aelita?" Jeremy asked.

"Hm?" she muttered but wouldn't stop gazing. Jeremy followed her line of sight and saw who she was staring at, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Stop drooling." Yumi said, nudging Aelita with her elbow.

"What?" she asked and Yumi smirked at her.

"I see who your eye-raping." Aelita blushed at this comment and she turned away from her and looked out at the court again, but her eyes fell back on Odd. "You're doing it again…"

"Shut up!" Aelita said to her and Yumi laughed so she couldn't help but laugh as well.

It was then that the basketball cheerleaders came in to watch the try outs. They sat on the bleachers with the other students that had shown up to watch.

"Alright!" Gym shouted. "Game in five minutes! Take a break!"

All the players jogged over and snatched up their water bottles. Aelita wanted to act normal when Odd came up to her and she handed him his water bottle. "You're doing great out there." She said with a smile.

"Thanks." He said and he placed the water bottle back beside her. He was going to say something more but Lance came up beside him and put an arm around his shoulder and brought him back out onto the court. "You're on my team bro."

"But I thought we were going to be on the same team?" Ulrich asked as he was on Jake's team.

"Me t-"

"Well then we'll have that two best friends against each other!" Lance said with a smirk. "We'll see who's better."

Odd and Ulrich shared glances at each other and then shrugged. "Be prepared to lose rival." Odd smirked and Ulrich laughed.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that."

Odd's team ended up winning by ten points and Ulrich was a good sport about it. They weren't sure who had made the team yet, Gym said he'd let everyone know by tomorrow. After showering and putting on fresh clothes, they made their way up to the dorm rooms.

They were all laughing about a time when Ulrich had slipped and fallen on the court during the game. But he took it like a good sport, thinking it was funny as well. "Maybe you shouldn't put butter on the bottom of your shoes next time." Odd teased as Ulrich went to unlock their dorm room door.

"Well maybe you should _get_ some new shoes."

"Ha-ha-ha." Odd said sarcastically, leaning on his shoulder and Ulrich laughed as well. "Maybe you should buy me some."

"Odd…" a deep voice came from behind them and they all turned to see Mr. Bubbles standing in the doorway.

"Oh hey Bubbles." Odd greeted, normally that would have gotten him a small reprimanding for not saying 'mister'. But strangely, the large man seemed to push it aside. "You did well on your basketball tryouts."

"Thanks?" Odd said rather uncertainly.

"Just thought I'd let you know." And he then walked off down the hallway.

About ten minutes after Mr. Bubbles left and they were in Ulrich and Odd's dorm, Aelita's cell phone rang and she put it to her ear.

"Hello?" she then got an aggravated look on her face and stood up. "I'll be right back." she said to them and went outside and closed the door.

Everyone just shrugged, thinking she'd come back inside and tell them what was up if it was important. But she was taking longer than they thought.

The other kids were curious as to why Aelita was taking so long. He'd been out there for at least twenty minutes but they didn't want to interrupt if it was important.

After about another ten minutes, Odd went out into the hallway to see that Aelita wasn't there. Looking around curiously, Yumi called for him to ask what he was doing. "Aelita's not out here anymore." He answered. "I think I'm going to go see where she is."

Jeremy would have gotten up as well but hadn't heard that Aelita wasn't out there anymore. He was on the computer listening to a song that he wanted to download on his iPod when Odd had said he'd go and look for Aelita.

**…**

Yeah, yeah I know I stopped this chapter at kindove a weird spot. And it was rather slow, but I'll probably update again soon so look for a new chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

Alright, the song that helped me with the song in this chapter is _Michelle's Smiling _by _John Stamos_. Its from an episode of _Full House. _I loved some of the lyrics so I used some of them in the song, the other lyrics are made up.

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 20**

**…**

Walking down the stairs to the first floor, Odd hears someone open the door from outside. His eyes goes wide as he whips up the newspaper that Milly and Tamiya had given him. He'd secretly grabbed it on his way out of his dorm room.

Hiding it in front of his face as he goes down the stairs, he hears Sissi say, "Weirdo…" to herself.

Odd isn't sure if she recognized him or not so he keeps walking with the newspaper in front of his face and continues on his way down the stairs. He thought he was in the clear at the bottom of the stairs until Sissi turns around and looks at him.

"Hey!" she called and he stops in his tracks.

Looking around awkwardly behind his newspaper trying to think of a way to have her not recognize him still, he heard her talk to him again. "Helloooo!" she said, hands on her hips. "What exactly are you doing going outside? You know it's only ten minutes before curfew."

"Oh…um, yes! I am aware!" Odd replies in a poor impersonation of a girl's voice. But he is relieved when Sissi doesn't realize it's him.

"Well you don't want me telling my daddy on you…whoever you are." She said and then cocked her eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Who are you anyway?"

"Um-uh-Lo…la?"

"Well just who are you visiting in the boys' dorms then again Lola?" Sissi demanded. "Tristan Brossard again?"

"Um, yeah sure! Whatever…" he replied.

"Did you just say whatever to me Lola?" Sissi sounded shocked and Odd winced.

"What exactly are you doing near the boys' dorms Sissi?" he asked, annoyed. But his mistake was that he forgot to disguise his voice that time and he put a hand to his mouth, making one side of the newspaper droop.

Sissi's hands fell to her sides for a moment as she was caught off guard by the question. But they then went to her hips again as she started making her way down the stairs toward him. "Wait just a minute…"

Odd coughed uncomfortably and then stuttered in his girl voice again. "I have to go Prissy-I-I mean Sissi! Bye!" And with that he hurried out the door with his newspaper and almost tripped on his way out.

Sissi watched him the whole way, seeing his red skinny jeans and black and white checkered high top shoes hurrying away from underneath the newspaper. She put a finger to her chin in thought and then swished her hair over her shoulder with a 'hmph!' and was on her way again.

Once he was quite a ways away from the door he came out of his newspaper-hiding spot and looked back at the double doors. He could still see the florescent light coming from the stair well. He let out a relieved sigh as he continued on his way to trying to find Aelita.

He flipped out his phone and called her but got no answer. The courtyard was dark and it was then that he realized that it was probably only about five minutes until curfew.

Looking around, he decided to walk completely around the school. And if he didn't find her then he'd try and call her again.

While walking, he put his hands in his grey and white jacket pockets. It was cold out and he could see his breath as he made his way around the school trying to find his pink-haired friend. It was only when he got close to the back corner of the school that he heard a noise.

A sniffle. Odd heard it and he continued walking around the corner and looked to see someone sitting on the ground.

Aelita, her face in her arms that were folded on top of her knees that were pulled loosely against her chest. He looked at her with concern and walked forward slowly. He stepped on a leaf and it crunched under his foot, making Aelita's head snap up and look at him.

"Oh…" she muttered as she attempted to wipe the evidence of her crying from her face. "Odd…what are you doing back here?" she asked in a tear-stained voice as she sniffed.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." He replied as he bent down in front of her. "What _are_ you doing back here?"

"I-I was just…" she stammered as she continued to try and wipe the tears from her face. "M-my house…"

"Your house what?" he asked softly, she'd never heard him talk so gently and that just made her cry even more. She tried stopping it but she couldn't as he face scrunched up in the effort and she put her head down as if that would stop Odd from seeing that she was crying.

Odd looked at her for a moment and then came and sat beside her against the wall. "Hey, hey…" he said as he put a hand on her knee and she looked at him.

"You'll just think I'm being-being silly…" she said as she wiped at her face again with her bare arm.

"No I won't. Really, tell me." He said.

Aelita took a deep breath and then started explaining. "M-my house caught fire. I don't know what the damage is but…it doesn't sound like it was very-"

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

"Yes, everyone's fine thankfully." She replied. "That's why I figured you'd think I was being silly."

"Well you're upset because you had a lot of memories in that house. Probably…am I right?"

She nodded in response and then sighed. "I'm just being silly." She said.

"Well, just remember that everyone's okay." He comforted her and she looked at him, tears still spilling from her eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile as he lifted up a hand and gently wiped a tear from her face with his thumb.

Odd's touch was so comforting. Aelita almost shivered at the feeling of his hand on her face. Had his hand been there before? She couldn't remember a time that it ever was. Unless it was a time where it wasn't meant for comfort. Either way, Aelita liked the feeling of his touch on her face.

"Can I have a smile now?" he asked and she gave him a small one. But that obviously didn't satisfy him enough as he removed his hand from her face. She wished he wouldn't.

She then felt it behind her as he moved his arm across her shoulders and he gave her a warm half-hug. Aelita then eased into the hug after being rather stiff for a moment. "I think I'm going to visit there for a few days." She then said. "I don't really want to go. I don't want to see the destruction."

"It'll be alright." He said as he squeezed her shoulder in comfort.

Aelita then fell back into his half-embrace and leaned against him, putting her head on his shoulder and feeling the warmth from his body. Odd's eyes got wide and it was then his turn to go rigid. But he didn't want her to move from her spot so he eased up and sighed.

Aelita felt the movement of his sigh as she stayed leaning on him. "Will you call me when I'm there?" she then asked.

Odd didn't speak for a moment. "Of course I will."

A smile pulled at Aelita's mouth and Odd smiled at the sight of it. She closed her eyes as she continued feeling the warmth from his body and the stroking his thumb was doing on her shoulder gently.

With her head in the crook of his neck, he moved his head down a bit so it rested on her soft, pink hair. Aelita was dozing off when she heard his voice again. But it wasn't a conversation voice, no. It was instead a singing voice.

Aelita's with me

She helps me not worry

Because she doesn't know what worry is

Especially when she's smiling

I love making her laugh

It removes the fear

Because she doesn't know what fear is

She keeps on laughing

And then I know

I must have done something right

Because Aelita's smiling

And she knows that makes me feel alright

Listening to his soothing, quiet singing voice that was surprisingly good, another smile curved on her lips.

Odd noticed this one again and he then sighed again as he started humming the tune to her. He would sit out her with her leaning on him all night if she wanted him to.

He turned his head until his lips were pressed against her soft, pink hair that smelt of strawberry shampoo. A cold breeze came by as he continued humming the tune into her hair.

The alarm clock starting ringing it's flat tune and Ulrich's hand emerged from under the covers and slapped it tiredly. He then sat up and stretched and yawned. "Odd, wake up." He muttered as he stood up from his head. "Odd, I don't feel like forcing you out of bed this morning so-" he turned and saw that the bed was empty. He scratched his head and then his eyes widened. "Oh no…"

Opening the door and running down the hallway, he kept saying the same words over and over, "Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

Pounding on Jeremy's door, a crash was heard from inside along with a loud grunt. The next moment, the blonde-haired boy opened the door with an aggravated expression on his face. "Ulrich, what are you pounding on my door fo-"

"Odd's missing." Ulrich said and Jeremy narrowed his eyes.

"So?"

"_So_? Jeremy, he could be off doing some type of drug again!" Ulrich cried, causing stares from the other kids.

"Ulrich!" Jeremy hissed as he put a hand to his mouth. It was then that the brown-haired boy noticed the stares they were getting from the other students. "Uh…hey guys!" Jeremy laughed nervously as he removed his hand from Ulrich's mouth. "Nothing to see here just keep going about your mornings! That's right, keep walking. Ignore the shouting…" he urged them and then turned sharply back to Ulrich. "_Are you outside your mind_?"

"No…" Ulrich said in a low voice also. "I think I'm just concerned that our friend who is very fond at getting in trouble is missing! Does that not mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does!" Jeremy snapped. "It means that I'm tired of sneaking him around when he's on some sort of drug!"

"So what? You're not going to help me find him then?"

"Correct Ulricho." He said smartly. "Now if you don't mind…I'm going to shower…" and he then walked off with his nose in the air, Ulrich gaping at him.

"My name isn't Ulricho!" he then shouted at him.


	21. Chapter 21

It's been a while I know. But I've been doing other things.

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 21**

**…**

Ulrich rushed across the courtyard quickly, but wasn't running so as not to call attention to himself. Some people waved a greeting to him and he answered them, still walking at his fast pace. That was at least until someone stepped in front of him.

"Ulrich!" Lola Kieffer said, hands on her hips as Ulrich stopped abruptly, almost running into her. "Where is Odd?"

"I-uh-um...what?" Ulrich stuttered, looking around the courtyard for any sign of his friend.

"Odd DellaRobia." she repeated. "Have you seen him?"

"N-no. I'm trying to find him right now actually." Ulrich answered, still looking all over the place. "I'll see you around okay Lola?" he walked past her and continued on with his fast pace until he was almost at the cafeteria. But he then ran right into someone.

"Woah!" Yumi said. "Where's the fire Ulrich?"

"We have a problem Yumi..." Ulrich said in a low voice.

"Problem?" she questioned and he nodded.

"Odd's missing."

"_What_?"

"Yeah...he wasn't in our dorm this morning." Ulrich said. "And to top it all off, Jeremy won't help me!"

"Jeremy won't help you? Why?" Yumi asked.

"I don't-" Ulrich started to answer but he was interrupted as he saw a someone out of the corner of his eye walking through the cafeteria. And that someone was walking along with someone else.

"Found him." Ulrich said and Yumi turned to see Odd and Aelita walking to the cafeteria table together.

Went they walked up to the table, Ulrich crossed his arms at his blonde friend who looked at him with curiosity in mid-chew. He swallowed and asked, "What?"

"What do you mean _what_?" Ulrich asked, giving a poor impersonation of Odd's voice. "You weren't in the dorm when I woke up this morning! Where have you been?"

"Okay...one, I don't sound like that. And two, I just wasn't there." Odd said, counting them off on his fingers.

"Hello everyone!" Jeremy greeted them with his tray. He then saw Aelita and said a solo 'good morning' to her. But she just gave him a small smile and whispered something to Odd.

Jeremy caught this and raised an eyebrow. "Something I did wrong?"

"No, no!" Aelita said, crossing her arms. Yumi and Ulrich looked at each other and walked away to the breakfast line.

"By the way Yumi..." Ulrich said as they were in line. "Why are you here so early anyway? Normally you don't eat breakfast here you eat it at home."

Yumi blushed and stuttered a bit. "I-uh w-well just wanted to see you...and everyone else!" she added quickly.

Ulrich raised an eyebrow but questioned no further.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Jeremy asked Aelita.

"No. I'm not sure." Aelita said, nose still in the air.

Jeremy looked at Odd who was looking back and forth between Jeremy and Aelita. The boy with glasses gave him a questioning look and he shrugged. He didn't know why Aelita was mad at him either.

**...**

Odd, Yumi and Ulrich decided to let Jeremy and Aelita discuss the problem out themselves. They walked through town, William accompanied them as well. They then decided to stop inside a cafe. The lights let off and amber-type glow and jazz music played over the intercom-type device. The smell of coffee filled the four's nostrils as they started discussing what they wanted to order.

After getting their coffee and pastries, they sat down in a booth. Talking about what had happened at school today, who they thought made the basketball team, joking with Yumi to join the cheerleading squad which she denied with an annoyed expression.

But within twenty minutes of them being at the café, Odd's cell phone vibrated. He took it out of his pocket and looked at it. The blonde boy had a curious look on his face and he shook his head then answered the phone. "Hello?" he asked, aggravated.

Ulrich, Yumi and William continued on with their conversation. Not overly curious about who was calling him. It might've been Aelita or Jeremy asking where they were so they could join them or perhaps just letting them know that they had made up. Or maybe Jeremy finally asked the question and the two were dating.

But instead Odd said into the phone, "Alright fine! I'll be there." He then hung up and sighed as he placed the phone back in his pocket.

"Who was that?" Ulrich asked and Odd looked at him but didn't answer. "Who was that Odd?"

"Um…" Odd said, visibly trying to think of a response. "Starts with V and ends in E."

The three stared at him. "What?" Yumi asked.

"Rhymes with Rinse." Odd tried again.

The three repeated the riddle to themselves trying to figure it out until they looked up at him.

"_Vince_?" Ulrich and Yumi said at the same time just as William said, "Vrincee!"

Odd looked at the boy next to him and mouthed 'what?' William shrugged in response.

"Don't even think about it." Ulrich said. "Remember what happened last time?"

"What?" William asked, lost with the topic of conversation.

"It's alright guys." Odd tried reasurring them. "Last time that happened, I called them a little bit later saying that I didn't want to do that again."

"Did you really?" Yumi asked and he nodded. "Okay, but why did he just call you then?"

"He wants to meet me somewhere. Says it's important." He replied. "But it's only a little ways away from here."

**…**

Jeremy clicked the phone shut and stared forward. He stood outside leaning against the wall. He saw other students and teachers walking by in their coats, jeans, jackets, hoodies. Some even had scarves and mittens. It would only be a week before thanksgiving break and he would be heading home for a visit. Along with the rest of the school.

He sighed and heard the door open off to the side of him. Turning his head, he forgot about his concern and smiled as he saw Aelita walk out of the building. She grinned at him with her pink scarf on and hot pink petticoat. Her dark blue skinny jeans contrasting with her white fuzzy boots. Jeremy thought she looked absolutely adorable.

"You ready?" he asked and she nodded as they headed on their way into town.

They had made up. Discussing everything that had happened. The reason Aelita had been mad at him was because when she was upset the night before, he didn't come to see what was wrong with her. But he later explained that he hadn't heard Odd leave. But the fact that Odd had left in order to go comfort her made him angry and annoyed. It was almost like he was trying to steal her from him.

But then again...he'd be suspecting that since the first day the strange boy arrived at Kadic.

**...**

"Aww, how sweet." Yumi said as she smiled at her phone. "The two love birds made up."

"And I'm guessing Jeremy didn't ask her?" Ulrich pointed out. "Again?"

Yumi shook her head and Ulrich sighed. "Seriously. If he doesn't soon then someone else might."

William nodded. "I agree. Some other boys have their eyes on her. Even some that hardly know her."

"Really?" Ulrich asked. He considered Aelita more of a little sister. It was strange realizing that Aelita had some male admirers that would possibly ask her out. What about the homecoming dance coming up? If Jeremy didn't get the nerve to ask her to that and someone else did, he had a feeling that Jeremy would not be pleased and possibly wouldn't even go to the dance.

"Mhm." William said as he took a drink of his coffee and then set it back down. "Some also have their eyes on Yumi."

This made Ulrich sputter some of his coffee out on the table in mid-sip. Yumi patted his back and William said sternly but in a joking way, "Manners Ulrich! Manners!"

**...**

Walking along the street, Aelita and Jeremy laughed and joked with each other. It seemed like they hadn't done this in so long. They both thought it felt nice. The two had decided to not hang out with the other kids, it would be just the two of them in town today.

They had stopped by the cafe that the other four...or three were in. Aelita and Jeremy had noticed that Odd wasn't in their with them. Now as they walked along the sidewalk with their coffee in hand and sharing a pastry, they heard running steps toward them. Not thinking much of it, they didn't pay enough attention as someone rammed into Aelita, making her spill her coffee all over herself.

"Out of the way!" the boy yelled as he ran down the street.

"Aelita!" Jeremy cried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." she said as he dabbed some of the coffee off herself with a napkin. "Who was that?"

Jeremy didn't answer though as he watched the boy disappear down an alley way down the street. He was running from someone or something, but who?

"Yeah you run! You psycho!" they heard a familiar voice shout after the retreating boy.

The two spun around to see Odd glaring after the person that had run off. Blood was streaming from his nose but it almost seemed to go unnoticed as it dripped onto the sidewalk. People stared at him strangely and some woman asked if he was alright and he answered politely that he was fine but then went back to scowling.

"Odd!" Aelita cried as she jogged up to him. "Are you alright? What happened to your face?"

"Hm?" Odd muttered and looked at her, just realizing that the two were on the same street as him. "Oh hey."

"Odd, you have blood coming from your nose." Jeremy pointed out.

"My nose?" he questioned.

"Yeah. Here let me-" Aelita said as she reached up with an extra napkin and touched his nose, making him give a noise of discomfort. "It also looks sort of...crooked." she grimaced.

"Crooked?" Odd asked. "Aw man!" he slapped a hand to his forehead.

"Alright, let's get you to the nurse right away." Aelita said in a reprimanding way as if talking to a child.

"I can go on my own Aelita." he said.

"No, no!" she said. "I'm going with you."

Jeremy grumbled as they made their way back to Kadic. Their wonderful afternoon was spoiled in his opinion.

Yolanda turned around and stared at the three students as they opened the door. Jeremy shared small glares at Odd while Aelita looked at him with concern as he held his head back and had a napkin pressed against his nostrils. The napkin looked like it had just about enough though as it was soaked with blood from his nose.

The blonde nurse came up to them and asked, "What happened?"

"We don't know." Aelita said as she shrugged.

"Well then why doesn't Mr. DellaRobia answer for himself?" she said pointedly as she looked at him.

"It's a...a situation. A situation is what happened." he answered.

"I see." Yolanda said. "Well, let's sit you down over here on this bed and I can see what we have here."

After sitting on the bed, she removed the napkin and held it with a rubber-gloved hand. She examined his nose as it bled a little more. "Hmm..." she mumbled. "I think I just need to move it a bit."

"Move it?" Jeremy questioned.

"Yes." she answered. "If you don't mind I can just position it right-" she said as she placed her thumbs on either side of his nose.

Jeremy and Aelita grimaced as Odd gave a cry of pain. "There!" Yolanda said. "Now I can just get some rubbing alcohol because it also looks like you have a small cut on the side of your nose."

She walked off to grab the cotton balls and rubbing alcohol and Aelita asked, "What happened?"

"I can explain later." Odd answered. "Why don't you two go back into town?"

Jeremy looked at him curiously as well as Aelita. "What?" Jeremy asked.

"Go back into town. Hang out and stuff."he answered as Yolanda came back with the supplies and unscrewed the cap of the bottle.

"You don't want to come?" Aelita asked.

"Nah." Odd answered as Yolanda applied the liquid onto the cut on his face.

"W-well, okay. If you're sure your alright." Aelita said.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Odd said, waving a hand.

The two walked out, but not before Aelita shared a glance back at him and grinned with a wave. He waved back and the door closed. But before leaving the hallway, Jeremy glanced back at the room. "Jeremy?" he turned back to Aelita who looked at him with question. "You coming?"

"Y-yeah. I'm coming." he answered and they made their way down the hall.

"So..." Yolanda said as she screwed the cap back on the bottle. "Fight?"

"How'd you know?" Odd asked as he hopped off the bed.

"I know the results of a fight when I see one. You're not the only one that's been in a fight around here." Yolanda said as she put the supplies back. "But I wonder why I haven't had another student come in?" She didn't get an answer so she continued, "Unless the fight wasn't at Kadic?"

"Well Yolanda, thanks for helping me out with my...nose." Odd said as he started walking out the door. "But I think I should call Ulrich, Yumi and William back. They're probably wondering where I am so...yeah."

And with that the door closed and Yolanda shook her head. But she had a slight grin on her face. He reminded her so much of his father. But she figured he didn't realize that she thought this.

**...**


	22. Chapter 22

Updating quicker? Yeah buddy! Thanks for the reviews.

Warning ahead for fights and arguments.

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 22**

"You were in another fight?" Ulrich asked with a cocked eyebrow. They had just gotten back about twenty minutes ago and it was now six o'clock in the evening. They weren't sure whether Jeremy and Aelita were back from their time out or not.

Odd nodded as Ulrich stared at him from his bed on the other side of the dorm room. He had explained all about how Vince had practically attacked him for a reason that seemed strange to Odd, Ulrich and Yumi. The only reason Vince jumped him had something to do with Aelita and Ron.

"So you're saying that he said, 'don't ever go near Aelita again?'" Yumi asked, puzzled by the threat.

"That's what I heard." Odd nodded. "And I'm guessing it has something to do with Ron."

"Who's the one you almost fought with back at the club?" Yumi asked and Odd nodded.

Ulrich scratched his head in puzzlement. "That's strange."

"I know!" Odd said as he stood up. "But whatever, I'm going to the showers."

"I think I'll join you." Ulrich said as he stood up. "You want to wait for us to get out or-?"

"No, I think I'll just head home. See you around." Yumi said as she stood up and went to the door.

After she walked out, Odd looked at Ulrich with a grin on his face. "So?"

Ulrich turned to him. "So what?"

"Oh come on Ulrich!" he said. "You didn't ask again. Am I right?"

"None of your business." Ulrich huffed as he rounded up a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt to wear to bed after his shower.

"Actually it sort of is because you tell me about how amazing and wonderful she is. Not to mention _beautiful_."

Ulrich froze and then held up a finger. "Okay, you have a point." He then turned to face him. "It's more difficult then you think, Odd. I don't want my asking to ruin our friendship."

Odd stared at him for a moment. "Understandable."

"I figured you'd understand." Ulrich said as he picked up his toothbrush.

"Why?"

Ulrich grinned mischievously at his friend. "Oh nothing!" he then opened the door and started walking down the hallway.

"W-wait, Ulrich!" Odd called after him as he exited the dorm room as well. "What did you mean by that?"

"I told you already! It's nothing!" Ulrich called back. "Odd and Aelita sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-!" but Odd's hand showed up almost out of nowhere and pressed against his mouth, muffling his words.

"Dude! Shut up!" he hissed and then removed his hand. "And I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah." Ulrich scoffed. "Right…"

Once in the showers, Odd was standing at the mirror, setting his stuff on the counter when he saw a phone that he recognized. He picked it up just as it vibrated and was just about to go and ask Ulrich through the shower curtain if it was Jeremy's when he saw the name on the front screen.

"Vince." Odd said to himself.

Odd flipped open the phone and read the text message. He then looked up, went over and threw the door open and stomped out and down the hall.

**…**

Aelita had joined Jeremy in his dorm room after their time in town. They were studying on Jeremy's bed for a test they were to have in a couple of days. But there was a pounding on the door, interrupting their studying session and the two looked up at it curiously. "Come in!" Jeremy called.

Odd threw the door open so hard that it hit the back wall. "Odd, what's going-"

"You did that because you think I'm getting involved in your relationship?" Odd asked, gaping at him with fury.

"Wh-what?" Jeremy asked as he sat up, book still in his hands. "What are you-"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Odd said, voice rising as he threw the phone on the bed.

"Hey!" Jeremy cried in surprise and had a look of shock on his face as he saw the text message on his phone. "How'd you get my phone?"

"I found it in the bathroom." Odd growled. "Next time you have someone jump me or anyone else, keep your phone on you."

"What is he talking about Jeremy?" Aelita asked and saw Jeremy's eyes wide as he realized he'd been caught. She then turned to Odd. "What is he talking about, Odd?"

"Tell her what you did Jeremy!" Odd shouted. "Tell her what you did!"

"I won't tell her anything!" Jeremy shouted back.

"You want me to tell her then?" Odd asked, pointing at himself.

"No." Jeremy glared at him.

Odd went over and slapped the book out of his hand. "Then you tell her what you did!"

"Wh-what's going on?" Aelita stammered.

"Oh, oh, oh, okay! Okay!" Odd held up his hands and placed them behind his head for a second and took a deep breath but then brought them back down. "So you call someone to come and jump me and threaten me to stay away from Aelita?"

Aelita went quiet and she stared with her mouth open at Jeremy. "What?" she nearly whispered. "Jeremy…"

"Aelita-" Jeremy started but she ran out of the room.

"Great. Now see what you did?" Jeremy stood up from his spot on his bed.

"What _I _did? Are you _serious_?" Odd said, voice starting raise in anger.

"Yeah! What you did!"

"Jeremy! Are you _serious_? You call up Vince and ask him to-"

"You were getting in the way of our relationship!" Jeremy shouted at him but Odd held up a finger.

"I'm not done talking!" he shouted at him, shutting Jeremy up. "You call up Vince and have him come and attack me and threaten me to stay away from Aelita! What sense is that? Why didn't you just come and talk to me and let me know-"

"Like that would stop you!" Jeremy said.

"What are you talking about!" Odd shouted.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Jeremy shouted back.

"No, no, you don't know me like you think you know me okay?" Odd said venom still in his voice.

"You're the new on in the group! You're the one that started this whole thing! You bring drama on everyone else!" Jeremy accused, shaking his finger at him. "And you know what? Now this is happening…" he barged out of his room and down the hall. Odd watched him wondering what the heck he was doing until Jeremy knock on him and Ulrich's dorm room and then walk in.

"Jeremy?" Odd called as he walked quickly down the hallway, but before he got there, he saw some of his stuff fly out the room. And as something else flew out of the room, he heard the sound of glass breaking. "Jeremy!" Odd shouted as he barged into the room, Ulrich had just sprung up from the bed and was about to stop Jeremy from his rampage. Right as Odd went up to the straight A student, he swung around and punched Odd right in the side of the face.

"Woah, woah…hey…" Ulrich muttered, unsure of how to handle this situation. He never thought that Jeremy would have been brave enough to do such a thing.

"Alright." Odd growled. "That's how you wanna do this? Fine, fine!" He grabbed Jeremy by the back collar of his shirt and swung him at the wall where he nearly bounced off from the force. Odd then had him pressed against the wall as his face was up close to his. "I don't care about your relationship!" he shouted into Jeremy's face. "I've been trying to deal with your smart alic remarks and attitude this whole time!"

Jeremy seemed to cower for a second but then remembered his anger. "You've been trying to get with her since the first day!"

"Oh yeah? That's what you think? !" Odd shouted back in his face.

"Yeah! You think you're all tough and big stuff coming into this school with your criminal record and all that!" he shouted at Odd. "I've never met anyone whose mom used to be a drug addict! Never! You've been raised sucky and you'll never learn! How long has your mom been in rehab? Two years! You and your bad reputation should just leave Kadic!"

Odd's eyes lit up with more anger than Ulrich or Jeremy had ever seen. "And I can tell you want to hit me! Go ahead and hit me! Hit me!" Jeremy continued.

"FINE THEN! LET'S DO IT!" Odd shouted back as let Jeremy go from the wall. "LET'S DO IT! YOU WANNA FIGHT SO MUCH LET'S DO IT!"

Just as something more was about to happen, Ulrich went between the two and separated them just as Mr. Bubbles came into the room. He grabbed Odd up by the collar on his shirt and half-dragged him out of the room as he shouted after Jeremy, who was held back by Ulrich. "DON'T EVER TALK TO ME EVER! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"_You_ stay away from _me_!" Jeremy shouted back. "I've had enough of you!"

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Odd shouted as Mr. Bubbles, dragged him away and tried covering his mouth.

The other students in the hall were staring at the fight, some with hands over their mouths and others gaping.

Jeremy relaxed some in Ulrich's grip and then really saw all the stuff out in the hall that he'd thrown. He hadn't ever remembered a time he'd been so angry at someone. Jeremy, the straight A student, had been in a fight.

**…**

Short, fight-filled chapter. But I might update again soon, depending on how long or if my power goes out.


	23. Chapter 23

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 23**

Yumi heard her phone ringing in the other room and she looked toward it as she sat at the kitchen table with her family. Her dad looked up from his dinner and glanced at the other room and then went back to eating.

"I'll be right back." Yumi said as she got up from her chair and walked out of the room.

"I bet it's Ulrich!" Hiroki sang as he stabbed a piece of broccoli with his fork.

"Hush Hiroki." Yumi's mom scolded.

"Hello?" Yumi answered and she heard Aelita from the other end. She sounded upset but she wasen't crying. "They _what_? Okay, I'll be right over."

Yumi rushed back into the kitchen and grabbed her plate and placed it on the counter by the sink. Mr. Ishiyama watched her. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I have to go dad." She replied as she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. "There's a problem with one of my friends and I think he needs me."

"What friend?" her mom asked.

"His name's Odd. I'm sure I've told you about him." She replied as she zipped up her jacket zipper.

"Yes you have dear, but we still haven't met the boy. When will we get to meet him? We've met all your other friends." She said.

"I don't know but can I go? I'll only be out for a bit and it's only six-thirty." Yumi asked, in a rush to get out the door.

After a moment of thought, her father said, "Alright. But be back by seven-forty-five at the latest."

"Okay, thanks dad." Yumi said in a rush as she kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks mom." She gave her a kiss on the cheek as well.

"Make sure you have your phone!" her mom called after her right as the door closed and Yumi gave a loud 'okay' back.

After a small moment of silence when the three started eating their dinners again, Hiroki said with a grin on his face, "And I think Ulrich will be there too."

"Hiroki!" Mrs. Ishiyama scolded and the young boy shrugged.

"What? She's not in the room anymore!"

Mrs. Ishiyama shook her head as she took a bite of food and her husband looked as if he was pondering. "You know he's probably right."

"She said there was trouble." His wife said. "I don't think it's a date."

Mr. Ishiyama sighed. "Still…if he makes the moves on her I won't be too happy."

"What moves are you talking about Ulrich is respectful." She said.

Hiroki laughed and muttered to himself what his father said, "Make the moves…"

**…**

Jeremy sat outside the principal's office with his head in his hands. Thinking about what he'd done, he was ashamed. That wasn't like him to lash out like that. What was wrong with him?

But every time he thought this question to himself the answer always seemed to be Odd. Odd was the reason he lashed out. He was the reason for the fight. He was the one that barged into his room and started getting mad at him. He was the one who read the text message.

And even though these thoughts ran through his head, he couldn't help but remember Odd shouting after him. In a strange type of voice that he'd never heard before. His voice partly cracking as he shouted that he hated him. As he was being dragged away by Mr. Bubbles.

"Jeremy?" Mr. Delmas said as he held his door open. "You can come in."

Jeremy sighed and stood up and walked into the principal's office.

**…**

Yumi walked down the hallway where Aelita was sitting in one of the chairs, looking at her hands and they were folding and unfolding nervously. She also saw Ulrich sitting next to her.

"Hey." She said as she walked forward and sat next to Aelita. "Where's Jeremy and Odd?"

"Odd's in there." Aelita said, talking about the Nurse's office. "Jeremy's at the principal's office."

Yumi had a look of surprise on her face. Why was Odd in the Nurse's office? She thought it would be the other way around. Did Jeremy really beat Odd up that bad?

"It's not how you think." Ulrich said, seeming to read her thoughts. "He's not hurt necessarily. It's something else though we're not sure what. Mr. Bubbles came by real quick to tell us that he was in the Nurse's office. So here we are."

Yumi didn't respond and they sat there in silence for a few moments before Aelita spoke. "Why would Jeremy do that?"

Ulrich and Yumi didn't answer, they weren't sure what to say. Aelita continued, "Why would he go on such a rampage like that and why would he call someone to beat Odd up? Well, I heard the reason. But does he think he's protecting me or something? If that's what he thinks then he obviously doesn't know Odd at all."

"He's been bottling up his anger and annoyance for Odd since the first day probably." Yumi said. "I don't think he's ever really liked him much."

"But they have their good moments!" Aelita said. "I just don't understand why they can't get along."

Ulrich and Yumi wouldn't have had time to answer because the door then opened and Yolanda came out of the room. She looked at them and she seemed to have a troubled look on her face.

"What's wrong with him? Is he okay?" Aelita asked, standing up along with her other two friends.

"He seems fine enough now. But I don't think anyone should go in and see him." Yolanda answered. "Odd had an anxiety attack, not a small one but not an overly intense one, we had to calm him down a lot."

"An anxiety attack?" Ulrich asked.

"Yes. You recall the way he was shouting as Mr. Bubbles was bringing him away from the fight?"

Ulrich remembered, it was a tone that was strange to him. His voice was slightly cracking and he sounded angry and upset.

"Can we really not see him?" Yumi asked.

"I would recommend you not seeing him. Best not to crowd him I think." Yolanda said.

**...**

The next day brought the basketball results and people's stares at Jeremy. But no one had seen Odd that day. No one knew where he was. There were rumors that he'd been expelled or sent to a juvenile center. Ulrich, Aelita and Yumi of course knew this wasn't true.

As they sat at their lunch table, they were talking about what they were going to do during the Fall break when Jeremy walked up to the table. He didn't have any food, just his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hey guys." he greeted glumly.

The three looked up and stared at him but didn't say anything. Instead they looked back at their food and continued eating. Jeremy sighed and sat down. "Alright. I know that what happened yesterday was out of line but-"

"Yeah, you're right it was definitely out of line." Aelita interrupted, glaring at him.

"Yes, yes it was. And I'm sorry." Jeremy said, and it seemed as if he really meant it. It also seemed as if he'd been up all night thinking about it with the visible bags under his eyes. "I'm sorry I flipped out it's not like me."

"Apology accepted." Yumi said. "But you should be apologizing to Odd a great deal." Ulrich nodded.

"I don't know where he is." Jeremy said. "I went to the room this morning and he wasn't there."

"He's at the nurse's." Ulrich replied shortly.

Jeremy wasn't expecting this. "What? Why?"

"Anxiety attack. That's why." Aelita replied and they could see the surprise on his face.

Once done with their breakfast, the four got up and went to their classes. Afterward, Ulrich gathered with the rest of the ones that had tried out at one of the school's public corkboards to see who'd made the team. With slight disappointment, but still happy he grinned at the results and quickly walked off to his next class.

He was excited to tell Odd that he'd made the team, even though he himself haden't.

**...**

_10 years ago, 5 years old, Greenville, Alabama_

_"Get out of this house! Get out! Leave!" the purple-haired woman shouted as she threw clothes and other belongings of the man out the front door._

_"What do you think you're doing?" the man with blonde hair shouted back at her. "Don't you throw my stuff out that door!"_

_"Don't tell me what to do! It's my house!" she shouted back as she shoved past him to grab more of his stuff and chuck it out the front door._

_"Control yourself!" he grabbed her shoulders and she glared at him._

_"Don't tell me to control myself!" she yelled in his face._

_Their five-year old son sat at the top of the stairs and listened as the two fought. They'd been fighting a lot recently and he didn't like it._

_There was a sound of glass breaking and the sound of stomping.  
_

_"Fine! I'm leaving then!" he yelled at her as he left the house._

_"Fine!" the woman shouted after him as he stomped out into the yard. She looked at him again with fury and then walked to the kitchen and out the back sliding screen door and slammed it shut, hard._

_Odd took this time to run down the stairs just before his dad got into the car to leave. Not even bothering to put any stuff in his car. _

_"Daddy! Where are you going?" Odd called after him as he ran onto the front porch._

_The blonde man looked over at him with sad eyes as he left the open car door. He walked over to the little blonde and purple haired boy that stood on the steps of the front porch._

_"I'm not sure." he replied. _

_"Well, you're coming back soon right?" he asked._

_"I don't know. But no matter how different things might get. We'll still see each other around won't we?"_

_"What are you talking about?" Odd asked. He didn't like the way his dad was talking. "What's going on?"_

_"I thought I told you to get out!" a shriek came from inside the house. "Get out!"_

_"I'll see you around. Okay?" his dad said as he gave him a hug that smelt of cologne and cigarettes. Odd wrapped his small arms around his dad and he felt as though things were changing._

_When their embrace ended, his dad ruffled his hair and then walked to the car and stepped into the already open car door. Slamming the car door shut, he looked at his son again and gave the best encouraging smile he could muster. And he then turned the car on and began pulling out from in front of the house._

_"D-daddy..." Odd stammered quietly, then he yelled louder after him. "Daddy! Don't leave! Don't leave!"_

_But the car had already pulled out from the house and was driving down the street. _

_Odd watched him drive away and then his knees gave out and he fell onto the ground and cried. Dirt getting on the knees of his jeans as he sat on the ground._

_The purple-haired woman listened from the kitchen table to her son's crying. But she didn't get up, she just sat back in the chair and stared at the ceiling with a cigarette in hand and a large bottle of alcohol in the other. She felt as though she should get up and comfort her son but couldn't bring herself to. So instead she slammed the bottle on the table and pressed her hands to her eyes and cried herself._

_But later on, about an hour later when Odd was still outside on the ground, he had stopped crying a little while ago and just sat with his knees up to his tear-streaked face. He felt his mother's arms wrap around him and tell him in a whispering voice, "Odd my dear, be strong."  
_

**...**

Aelita sat with Odd as he slept in the nurse's office. Yolanda had said said he should be sleeping because it'd be good for him. She suspected that the cause of the attack was from stress and that the fight with Jeremy made the attack happen. Stress from what though, Aelita wasn't sure.

She watched as Odd's face grew stern and then softened out at different times. Aelita figured he was dreaming. Of what she did not know.

Her cell phone rang, making her jump because it was on sound and she answered it and hung up immediately so the sound wouldn't disturb Odd. But too late, his eyes were already opening.

"Well look who's awake after sleeping the whole day." she joked and he rubbed his face with his hands.

"What'r you talkin' bout?" he muttered sleepily.

"You mean you don't remember?" she asked, her smile going away.

Odd thought for a moment and then covered his face in his hand. "Oh no..." his voice was muffled in his hand. Aelita let him continue to repeat 'oh no' into his hand until he removed them from his face.

"Where's Jeremy now?" he then asked.

"He was in trouble but no too much since it's his first offense of the year." Aelita answered.

The door opened and Ulrich came around the curtain. "Look who's awake!" he said happily.

"Woah." Odd said grinning slightly at him. "What has you all chipper?"

"Guess who made the basketball team?" Ulrich asked.

"You?" Odd answered sleepily.

"Nope!" Ulrich answered and Odd had a confused look on his face. "You!"

"What?" Odd asked.

"Oh Odd that's great!" Aelita said as she grabbed his arm.

"You didn't?" he then asked Ulrich.

"Nah. I'm more of a Soccer type anyway." he answered.

**...**

Odd left the Nurse's office that evening and was walking with Ulrich, Yumi and Aelita to the bench that they normally sat at. It was in the late afternoon, classes were over and they were discussing what they were doing for Fall break.

"Hey Odd!" A voice said and they looked in front of them to see Milly and Tamiya coming toward them.

"Hey." he greeted, having a feeling he knew what they were going to ask him. But instead they handed him something. "What's this?" he asked, holding the pen.

"It's a pen." Tamiya answered and Odd cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"And you're giving it to me because...?" he asked as the other three looked at it with curiosity.

"I dunno." Tamiya shrugged. "Sissi said to give it to you."

"Sissi said-?" Odd asked but then the pen exploded black ink all over his face and clothes and he sat there a moment and dropped the pen. "Aw man really?"

"Oh...I'm sorry! I didn't know it would do that!" Milly apologized.

"Yeah me neither!" Tamiya said.

"It's okay..." Odd breathed as he looked down at the ink all over himself. "I'll just have to get her back I suppose."

"She also wanted us to give you this..." Milly said as she handed Odd a folded piece of paper. "We haven't looked in it yet though so I'd be careful."

"Be careful Odd." Ulrich warned. "There might be something dangerous in there."

Odd looked like he was ready for something to pop out of the paper as he unfolded it but just found words written down. "This is for pretending to be Lola Kieffer the other night." he read and then narrowed his eyes.

There was silence for a moment and then Yumi asked, "You pretended to be Lola Kieffer?"

**...**

Am I really uploading this fast? Why yes, yes I am. But I don't think the next chapter will be as fast.


	24. Chapter 24

Song I use in this chapter is **Pass Me By **by **Insane Clown Posse **and **I'm Coming Home** by **Insane Clown Posse**

Might re-use it later for another purpose though. For that you'll see. [; If I use it of course…

Enjoy.

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 24**

Jeremy was walking by himself across the courtyard when he heard an ear piercing scream. The kids turned in the direction of the screaming and were beginning to murmur questions to each other when someone came stomping out of the building.

It was Sissi, and she looked furious. But that didn't stop people from snickering as they saw her appearance. She was covered in a mysterious substance that was unknown, it looks to be brown and murky. Almost like mud and it covered her head and clothes.

"WHERE-IS-DELLAROBIA?" she demanded at anyone as she stomped her foot.

No one answered, so she gave a frustrated growl.

Jeremy tried sneaking away behind her but realized that he'd failed when she whipped around and pointed at him. "_You_!" she growled out, "Where is he?"

"I-I don't know-"

"Don't!" she held up a finger to him and stomped right up to him, backing him against the brick wall, "Where is DellaRobia?"

"I really don't know Sissi," Jeremy said, waving his hands back and forth. He wasen't lying, he hadn't spoken to Odd since the situation that had happened the night before.

"Oh, still in that little fight with him are you?" she smirked, "Whatever, I can find him myself!" and with that, she gave a little 'hmph!' and walked off.

Jeremy watched her walk away as he leaned against the wall. He rubbed a hand across his forehead and gave a sigh of relief. Sometimes Sissi really could be threatening.

But even though he was still angry and Odd, he couldn't help but wonder just what he did to get that stuff all over Sissi.

**…**

Odd lay out in the woods, feeling the cold air all around him. And the occasional breeze that blew by made it even colder. But he didn't mind, he ignored it as he watched the sky through the bristling leaves of the trees.

The cigarette in his hand had swirls of smoke drifting off the burning tip. He had loud, buzzing music in his earphones, his iPod was in his black jacket pocket. His foot tapped lightly to the music as he listened. His red and black checkered jeans didn't match well with the pink and yellow checkered Vans he wore. But he didn't care. Since when had he ever been crazy about matching?

They had already had one basketball practice for the start of the season that day. The players seemed welcoming enough. It helped that he knew some of them, but the ones that he had just started talking to seemed nice. They had even invited him to Lance's room to hang out but he declined.

So now here he was, in the woods alone. But he sort of preferred it this way at the moment. He haden't talked to Jeremy yet since the incident the night before. And they were going on their Fall break soon. Perhaps they would both be cooled down by then?

But that wasn't the most pressing matter on Odd's mind. He had to ask Mr. Bubbles if he could stay at his friend's house back in Greenville for the Fall Break. Everyone else was going to their family's houses. He had to go somewhere.

**_Does this excite you?_**

**_Think about it!_**

**_Does it not stagger the imagination?_**

**_No building on earth can conceive any structure_**

**_To compare to the mansions above_**

**_Won't that be something when you go to live in your mansion?_**

**_There'll be no concern about paying for it_**

**_It's already taken care of_**

**_There'll be no worry of being moved out of it_**

**_It will be yours forever_**

Odd closed his eyes as he listened to the song. He took another drink from his water bottle. He had filled it again after his practice with more water. But he had also put something else in it. And the other thing that he put in it relaxed him along with turning the water blue.

He started dozing off as he listened to the music buzzing loudly in his ears.

**_Even though most never try_**

**_I'm not gonna let this pass me by no_**

**…**

Aelita was in her room packing up some clothes in her suitcase when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" she called.

Ulrich walked in and she turned to him, "Should I bring these jeans or these jeans?" she asked and he gave a small laugh.

"I'd say either one," he answered. But Aelita raised her eyebrows and he pointed to one pair and said, "The lighter pair."

"Thank you," she said, smiling as she folded them back up and placed them in her suitcase, "So what do you need?"

"Oh, just coming by to talk…you know…" he said as he sat on her bed.

She turned to him curiously and asked, "Something wrong?"

"What makes you think that?"

Aelita shrugged and asked again, "_Is _something wrong?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say something's _wrong_," Ulrich said, "But I've been thinking like all day about something I had talked to Odd about earlier this morning."

"Oh?" Aelita asked, "And what's that?"

"I asked him where he was going for Fall Break," Ulrich told her and she didn't seem to catch anything wrong with that as she continued placing things in her suitcase. "And he answered that he didn't know."

Aelita paused in her packing and looked over at him, "What? What does he mean he doesn't know?"

"He just doesn't know," Ulrich shrugged, "I'm debating on whether I should bring him home with me. But you know…how my parents are…"  
Aelita pursed her lips for a moment as she thought. She then said, "He can come with me. But we'll be cleaning up the damage from the house fire."

Ulrich looked at her with sympathy, "I think he wouldn't mind helping with that."

Aelita smiled at the thought of him coming with her back to her house. Or…part of her house, "Yeah, maybe he wouldn't. Where is he anyway?"

Ulrich shrugged, "I don't know. Probably with the other basketball players."

"Oh yeah! I wanted to watch his practice but I was busy packing," Aelita said. She then paused in her packing again and her face turned serious, "Has Jeremy apologized yet?"

Ulrich shook his head and answered, "I don't think so."

"Why is he so stubborn?" Aelita cried out automatically as she turned on Ulrich.

"You know how Jeremy has been since Odd's been here," Ulrich reasoned with her.

"I know, I know. It's just that-" Aelita started to say and then said, "Why can't they just be friends?"

Ulrich shrugged and shook his head, "I don't know."

**…**

Early the next morning, Yumi slapped the button on her alarm clock to turn it off. She rushed around getting ready this morning though because they had Friday off. But despite that, she was going to school anyway. She wanted to say goodbye to her friends before they left for Fall Break.

As she rushed out the door, she said a goodbye to her parents and hurried down the sidewalk.

"Thanks for carrying so much of my stuff!" Ulrich called back to Odd who was fumbling around with his luggage.

"Seriously Ulrich?" he grumbled, "Why can't you help with this?"

"I am," he answered as he held up a bag, "I'm carrying this."  
"Wow, big deal," he grumbled, "I'm carrying=" he then dropped it all once they were at the bus stop, "-all this!"

Ulrich smirked at him, "You heard Gym! He said that you should carry my luggage."

"I don't understand his theory that carrying _your _luggage will make me any better at basketball," Odd said as he crossed his arms.

Ulrich shrugged and then waggled his finger at him, "Don't argue with coach."

Odd mimicked him poorly, "Don't argue with coach!"

"Okay, I do not sound like that," Ulrich laughed just as Aelita came up with her bags.

"Hello!" she greeted them.

"Hello to you too," Yumi greeted as she showed up right after Aelita.

"Oh great!" Aelita said, "We're all here!"

There was then an awkward pause and Aelita said in a low voice, "Sort of…"

Trying to break away from the awkwardness, Yumi asked brightly, "So anything different planned for your holidays?"

The three were in their own little conversation as Odd stepped back a bit and lit a cigarette. Right after, he flipped out his cell phone and started texting on it. The others didn't seem to notice though until the smell reached their nostrils.

They sniffed a bit and then turned toward their blonde friend who was texting away at his phone.

"Should'nt you watch that?" Yumi asked a little cautiously, "The school's right there…"

Odd didn't look up from his phone as he mumbled, "Whatever."

"Ulrich!" a squealy voice was heard and Odd clenched his phone as the other's eyes widened, "I wanted to see you before-" Sissi said to Ulrich and then she caught sight of Odd and her eyes narrowed, "Oh, it's you."

"Enjoy your little present yesterday Sissi?" he asked in mock sweetness.

"No," Sissi answered flatly, "And I demand to know what was in that bucket!"

Odd laughed and then looked back at his phone, "You don't need to know."

Sissi stomped her foot and gave a noise of aggravation. She then asked, "Why are you even over here? You don't have any bags or anything!"

"Don't feel like bringing them," he answered simply through the cigarette between his lips.

"I might tell my daddy that you're smoking," Sissi said, it seemed as though she was trying to start a fight.

"Why don't you back off Sissi?" A voice came from behind her and they all turned to see Jeremy walking toward them with a bag and suitcase.

Sissi walked away with an aggravated 'hmph!' and they could hear her mutter something along the line of 'trash'.

Ulrich, Aelita, and Yumi watched Jeremy and then looked at Odd who stared at Jeremy with disgust very clear on his face.

Jeremy set his bag on the ground and pushed the handle to his suitcase down. He then turned to the others and waved at him. They waved back a little awkwardly and Jeremy turned to Odd who had looked away and was texting again on his phone.

"Hey Odd," Jeremy asked and Odd didn't look up but rather raised his eyebrows as a way of answering, "I was wondering if we could talk."

Odd shrugged and him and Jeremy went over under a tree.

"Listen Odd," Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry about the other day. It was wrong of me to do that. I went a little…crazy and-"

But right then, they all heard blaring music coming from a thumping car. It came driving down the road and stopped in front of them.

**_I'm coming hometo the criminals and crooks_**

**_Home to the gang bangers shootin' dirty looks_**

**_Home to the killer cops speedin' on my a**_**

"Hey, hey!" a kid called out the window of the car said through the open window of the passenger seat.

The other's faces had a look of surprise at the kid. His hair was full of dreadlocks and his face was covered in face paint. He looked like clown. But then again, it looked as though he was trying to look like one.

But Odd's face broke out in a huge grin as the kid, along with others, came out of the car and came over to him.

They all slapped hands and gave a brotherly hugs while Yumi, Aelita, Ulrich, and Jeremy stood awkwardly wondering what they were doing here.

"Haven't seen you in forever!" the kid with dreadlocks said, "How you been brother?"

"Fine," Odd answered, "You?"

"Hey Odd, who they?" another kid with face paint said. He gestured to the group of four watching them.

"Oh, sorry," Odd said, "These are my friends from Kadic. Yumi, Ulrich, and Aelita…and Jeremy."

Jeremy looked up at the mention of his name. He saw Odd give him a grin and then he spoke to the others, "Sorry guys, I have to get going. I'm staying at Tommy's for the Break." He gestured to the one with dreadlocks, "I can introduce if you ever see each other again." Odd said.

"A-alright," Yumi stuttered as she hugged him, "Be safe."

Ulrich hugged him then, "You heard Yumi."

Aelita then hugged Odd great big and it made Jeremy shuffled uncomfortably, "Please be safe?" she whispered in his ear and he smiled.

She was too good to him. He didn't deserve her kindness and care. But he hugged her anyway, cigarette between his fingers, because it felt so good.

"I'll call you," he said as he backed away toward the car.

Odd listened to the music blaring out of the car sterio. And he couldn't help but feel the resemblance of the words and him.

**_Every single thing that you never wanna see_**

**_Add it all together and you got me_**

**…**


	25. Chapter 25

**Song used: Free Bird by Lynard Skynard**

**…**

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 34**

"Are you alright sweety? You're awfully quiet," Aelita mom said as they drove toward her house for the first time in months.

Aelita looked up at her mom in the passenger seat, her dad was driving and he shared a quick glance back at her in the rearview mirror. "I'm fine mom," she said, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Is it because of the house? Most of it is cleaned up sweetheart, but it's okay if you're-" her dad started telling her but she interrupted.

"That's not it. Well….it is…I mean, that's only part of it," Aelita said.

"What's the other reason?" Aelita's mom asked curiously.

Aelita hesitated for a moment and bit her lip, but she then looked back up at where her parents were sitting. "I'm just a little concerned about my friend," she admitted.

"Which friend? You have multiple," her dad laughed.

"A new one. He's new this year and-"

"Ah, I know who you're talking about. The blonde one yes?" her mom interrupted.

"Yeah. I've told you about him before. I'm concerned about him though because-hang on…how did you know he was blonde?" Aelita asked, an eyebrow quirked up.

"I Meepster stalked you," her mom answered simply.

"Mom!" Aelita cried and her mom laughed.

"What?" she laughed the words, "I was curious so I checked it out. He doesn't seem quite…your type though."

"I didn't think he was either but he's real sweet and funny and caring and-"

"Ahem," her dad said, "There is a dad in the car. I can track him down you know."

"Daddy," Aelita giggled, "He's really nice."

"Mhm," he grunted, "I saw his picture too. I don't know if he's right for you."

"Aren't you two the ones that say to not judge books by their covers?" Aelita asked pointedly.

Her parents shared a glance at each other and shrugged. "Alright you got us there," her mom said, "It's not that I don't like him. I'm surprised though that you like him that way however."

"Wh-who said I liked him?" Aelita laughed nervously and her mom turned around in her seat to face her with a sly grin on her face.

"You do don't you?"

"Maybe…a little!" Aelita added in the last part and showed the small distance between her fingers.

Satisfied, her mom turned back around. "What happened to Jeremy? You two are still friends right?"

"Yeah, we're still friends," she answered, not mentioning the fight that had occurred between Jeremy and Odd.

"But you're not interested in him anymore?" she asked.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Aelita asked.

"Fine! Fine!" her mom held up her hands, "But I'm still curious."

"Yeah, me too," her dad grumbled.

Aelita sighed and looked out the window. She couldn't help but wonder what Odd was doing at that very moment.

**…**

It was dark out, the night sounds were all around. But they weren't much wilderness sounds, more of city sounds. Cars driving in the streets, people walking along the sidewalks, music playing in restaurants. And one apartment room in a particular apartment building was playing loud, blaring music.

Odd listened to the music as he picked his head back up from the table. He breathed in through his nostrils and coughed twice. The crystal meth that was on the table was now gone other the the few little flakes still left.

Mr. Bubbles had let him take a small road trip with a friend to a city because he said he'd been doing good in school. This was a reward. But if Mr. Bubbles knew what he was doing now, he couldn't even think of the punishment.

The blonde boy stood up shakily and looked around the room. The people around were dancing, drinking, smoking, and some were already passed out. It was at least ten-thirty by now and Odd had already smoked a cigarette, one blunt, had a beer, and snorted once.

Memories flashed through his head of the past as he stumbled his way outside onto the deck. He slid the screen door back so part of the noise was blocked out. Now he could hear the sound of cars and other city noises despite that he was on the tenth floor.

**_If I leave here tomorrow_**

**_Would you still remember me?_**

Going over to the railing, he looked out to see the city lights. Looking down he could see the cars moving through the street. He breathed in the night air and let it out shakily.

**_I'm a speed traveling on now_**

**_'Cause there's too many places I've got to see_**

His memories brought him to Aelita. He wondered what she was doing at that moment. Wondering if she'd thought of him at all since he left.

**_If I stay here with you girl_**

**_Things just couldn't be the same_**

She was too good for him. He wasn't nearly good enough for her. Aelita could be with Jeremy. He's a lot better than him anyway.

**_'Cause I'm as free as a bird now_**

**_And this bird you cannot change_**

**_Oh woah woah_**

**_I'm the bird you cannot change_**

**_And this bird you cannot change_**

Odd backed away from the railing and he leaned against the glass screen door. He sank down onto the cold floor. The blinds were blocking his view of the partying going on inside.

**_Bye bye baby it's been a sweet love_**

**_Yeah yeah_**

Maybe he should just tell her that she should be with Jeremy. Maybe she would listen and become interested in him again. He didn't want her to waste her time on himself.

**_Know this feeling I can't change_**

**_Please don't take it so badly_**

**_If I stay here with you girl_**

**_Things just couldn't be the same_**

Wait, he didn't even know if she liked him. What was he talking about? Why would a beautiful girl like Aelita have feelings for him? Perhaps he's crazier than he thought.

**_I'm as free as a bird now_**

**_And this bird you cannot change_**

**_Oh woah woah_**

Odd looked at himself in the reflection of the screen door. His eyes had dark bags underneath them, his eyes were bloodshot. He looked horrible.

**_I'm a bird you cannot change_**

**_And this bird you cannot change_**

**_Won't you fly free bird yeah_**

Odd took in another shaky breath as he stood up. He stumbled over to the railing and gripped the cold metal. He looked down at the city below. At the sidewalk and street, at all the people and cars. Perhaps he could miss a person if he were to fall. He didn't want to land on anybody.

Bringing his ratty shoes up on the railing, Odd climbed up and grabbed the brick wall to support himself. One small slip and he could go falling to the street below. The railing was just a narrow metal bar. Half of his feet were hanging over the edge, waiting for lift off.

A feeling came in Odd's legs and stomach as he thought of the feeling he'd get if he were to just step off the railing.

He brought one hand off the brick wall and leaned out over the city. He felt more cold air brush against him as it rustled his hair.

Now he just had to removed his other hand from the bricks and he'd be on his way. He felt the muscles in his arm start to ease up as he prepared to let go.

He shut his eyes tight then opened them. He looked at the city in front of him as he felt his hand letting go.

Odd then gasped as he felt one foot slip off the railing. He fell back onto the cold floor as he brought himself back forcefully.

He stumbled to a sitting position as he shuffled back into the corner of the porch. Arms around his knees, he rocked back and forth and breathed in shaky breaths.

Eyes wide at how close he was. Yet he chickened out.

He probably would have landed on a person anyway.

**…**

**Yeah yeah short chapter. At least its something!**


	26. Chapter 26

The song is _Holding out for a Hero by Ella Mae Bowen_

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 25**

Aelita lay outside in the grass of her aunt's backyard. Since the construction was still being done to her own house from the fire, she was staying at her aunt's house. Staring up at the stars and thin clouds, Aelita wondered if Odd was staring up at the stars as well. She had a feeling that he was. And if she moved her eyes a little the other direction, there was the moon. The air for cold, rather freezing actually. But she was warm in her scarf and jacket. The grass was cold on her hands but it was gradually starting to get used to her own body warmth.

What was she to do with Odd and Jeremy? She liked Jeremy...alot actually. It was just that she didn't like him like _that._ Not the way she liked Odd. She couldn't help it, there was just something about him that she just absolutely loved. Wait...did she just think the word...love. _Love_?

That's crazy.

If she loved anyone it would have been Jeremy. After all, they had been expected to date for a couple years or so now. They just...havn't gotten around to it she supposed.

**_Where have all the good men gone?_**

**_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_**

Aelita thought of Odd Dellarobia's smile and the way he laughed whenever he amused her. He teased her just the right amount, not going too far. He made her feel good, wonderful...and right. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to get over these feelings. Had her friends noticed their connection? She's pretty sure Yumi has, they just havn't really talked about it.

_**Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need**_

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night_**

**_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_**

**_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_**

Or is there even a connection? Perhaps she was just imagining it? Either way, she loved spending time with him. Even if it was just a simple walk to class. He seemed to make her day better just by saying a simple 'hello' to her. Were these feelings normal? Was she obsessed? Aelita has heard Yumi talk like this about Ulrich before, but that seems okay because they almost seem like a couple already.

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the morning light_**

**_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_**

Aelita closed her eyes and breathed in the cold, night air. When she let it out she looked back up at the sky. She wondered if Odd would call her soon. He said he would call her while she was here. It had already been a day since they've been on break, it was now nine o'clock or so, getting later and later. Would he call?

Aelita sure hoped he would.

_**Somewhere after midnight in my wildest fantasies**_

**_Somewhere just beyond my reach theres someone reaching back for me_**

Laying on the hood of his friends' car, Odd looked up at the stars through the trees. He wondered if Aelita was looking up at the stars as well. He had a feeling that she was. He wondered how she was doing, how she reacted to the destruction of her house from the fire. He was angry at himself for not calling her, but he felt as if he shouldn't. He couldn't be right for her, even though she made him feel right. She made him feel as though he wasn't an unhealthy, troubled teenager. Someone that had been jumping from house to house since they'd been on break.

**_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_**

**_Isn't there a superman to sweep me off my feet?_**

Odd thought about where him and Aelita's possible future relationship would take the both of them. Could it take them anywhere? Heck, he wasn't even planning on going to college. His dad had left them long ago, and his mom was a drug addict and alcoholic. And Odd wasn't much better, he was a huge druggie. It was basically decided already, he didn't deserve Aelita.

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night_**

**_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_**

**_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_**

Odd had to admit that he missed his mom terribly. She'd had her fair share of mistakes in parenting. Except they were perhaps for severe than other mistakes. He didn't care, he loved his mom no matter how many mistakes she made.

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the morning light_**

**_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_**

He missed his dad as well...wherever he was. It had been years since he'd heard from him. He somewhat doubted that he even missed him back.

**_Where the lightening splits the sea_**

**_I think there's someone somewhere watching me_**

Taht didn't mean he couldn't be curious though. What was he doing now? What was his job or occupation? Was he successful? Did he miss his mom?

Did he miss him, his own son?

**_Through the wind, and the chill and the rain_**

**_And the storm and the raging flood_**

**_He approaches like the fire in my blood_**

Aelita wondered what Odd was doing, she hoped he was being safe. She was worried about him. Though it could get annoying with Jeremy's attempts at parenting him, she could understand why he was doing it.

**_I need a hero_**

**_And then we'll dance 'till the morning light_**

**_He'll talk tonight's the night_**

She was excited for the dance they were to have in a few weeks. Would Odd ask her? She wasn't sure. But if he did, she didn't want Jeremy to flip out again. She deffinetly didn't want anotehr fight like the one they had in Ulrich in Odd's dorm.

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night_**

**_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_**

**_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_**

Odd closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then opened his eyes and looked back up at the night sky. He felt the cool wind brush through his hair. It caused a rustling in the trees and the leaves on the ground to scatter.

**_I need a hero_**

**_I'm holding out for a hero 'till the morning light_**

**_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_**

**_Da, da, da..._**

Whether she was too good for him or not...Odd couldnt' wait to see Aelita again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 26**

The students were now back at Kadic after their five day break. Now they were all awaiting Christmas break that wouldnt' be happening until about a month or so later. The air seemed to have gotten chillier since they had left and the students were bundled in scarves and jackets.

Aelita shuffled up to where Jeremy and Odd seemed to be arguing. Ulrich stood watching from between them as if this was a normal occurence, which it seemed to be by now. Aelita sighed and shook her head as she walked up to them. But when she got there she smiled anyway and said, "Hello again guys! What's up?"

"Jeremy is such a lame-o!" Odd snapped as he whipped his head around to face her.

"I am not!" Jeremy protested poking him in the chest.

"Nice greeting," Aelita said with narrowed eyes, "What are we fighting about?"

"Jeremy automatically asks if I have smoked during the break," Odd said pointing a finger at him and then shrugs, "So he automatically assumes that that's what I did over the whole break?"

"You said automatically two times," Jeremy pointed out and Odd glared at him.

"Whatever," Odd said as he crossed his arms, "I'm informing you now that I DID NOT SMOKE OVER THE BREAK."

"Maybe we should discuss this another time?" Aelita said nervously as she looked over her shoulder. Ulrich followed her gaze and his eyes widened a little and he looked at Odd and Jeremy and said, "Um guys..."

"Really?" Jeremy asked, "You didn't at all? I see you got snake bites too."

Indeed, he had. Instead of just one, now there were two rings in his bottom lip rather than one. Odd grumbled something noncoherent and then said, "Fine! Like once...or twice. And yes I did."

"You're on the basketball team, remember?" Jeremy asked.

"Jeremy, I don't need your scolding," Odd said, ignoring Ulrich tugging on his shirt sleeve, "You're not the boss of m-WHAT?" he then shouted at Ulrich.

The brunette did the cut-it-out motion with his hand across his neck and then motioned over to Aelita. Odd's eyes widened and his hands fell at his sides.

"Um..." Aelita said nervously, "Odd, these are my parents." she gestured to a pink-haired woman behind her and a blonde man. Her mom was staring at him with uneasiness on her face and her dad crossed his arms across his chest and cocked his eyebrow at him.

"Oh!" Odd said and he heard Jeremy mumble "Busted..." Odd shot a glare at him.

Aelita said quickly, "This is Odd. And you already have met Ulrich and Jeremy."

"Yes," Mrs. Stones said, "Hello to you two again! And it's very nice to meet you Odd." she stuck out her hand and shook his.

"Yes, nice to meet you," Mr. Stones said as he shook his hand.

"I suppose I can take you up to my dorm?" Aelita said with a forced grin. She then led her parents to the large school building.

Once they were out of earshot, Odd whipped around to the both of them, "What are they doing here?"

"It's almost parent week," Ulrich said, shrugging like it was an obvious answer.

"What? What is parent week?" Odd yelped as he looked over again at Aelita and her parents.

"Its a week where parents come to visit," Jeremy answered, "Mine are coming tomorrow."

"Mine too," Ulrich said.

Odd got silent and looked at the ground. But the silence was then broken as Yumi came up to them.

"Hey guys!" she greeted, "Did you see Aelita's parents?"

"Yeah, we just did," Ulrich said.

"I even got a hug from Mrs. Stones," Yumi said grinning.

"Don't brag," Odd grumbled, his hands in his half red, half black hatchetman hoodie.

"What up with you?" Yumi asked with a smirk.

"He didn't have the most pleasent encounter with them just now," Jeremy said.

"Well theres a whole week to make up for it," Yumi said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her and nodded. She lowered her hand again and tipped her head and asked, "Is something else wrong?"

"No, I'll catch up with you guys later," Odd said as he turned around and started walking toward the school.

Yumi turned to the other two boys and they just shrugged.

Odd went into him and Ulrich's dorm for the first time in five days. He plopped down on his bed and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He looked up at the pictures he had up there. Some were of his friends in others towns and some were of his friends at Kadic. He looked at a photo of him and Aelita that had been taken during the warm months. She wore a pink tanktop with short light blue shorts. He wore his usual array of strange clothing.

He put his hands behind his head and propped his foot up on his knee. He was wearing his red and black Etnies again and it somewhat matched with his black and white checkered skinny jeans.

Odd then stood up and went over to his wardrobe. Opening it, he saw his clothes and he put a finger to his chin. There was then a knock on the door before it opened and Ulrich walked in.

Ulrich closed the door and then went behind his friend. He looked in the closet with him for a moment and then said, "I don't see anything. But I figured that I should inform you that tonight we're going out to dinner with my parents, Jeremy's parents, and Yumi's parents."

Odd whipped around and shouted, "WHAT?"

"Woah there!" Ulrich said, holding up his hands, "Calm down buddy!"

"I thought they were coming tomorrow!"

"Change of plans," Ulrich shrugged, "And besides, it's just dinner."

"It's not just dinner," Odd said as he grabbed his hair in fret, "I don't know how to act, what to do, what to say..." he was pacing back and forth as Ulrich watched him talk to himself, "What if I screw up? What if he really doesn't like me? What if-"

"I didn't know you were so concerned with how my parents felt about you," Ulrich said with a smirk.

"Not yours!" Odd snapped, "Aelita's!"

"Ohhhh," Ulrich said, "That's what your fretting about? Relax! Just be yourself." he then paused for a moment and said, "You're right, we do have a problem..."

"I know right!" Odd threw out his arms and then fell back onto his bed. He then covered his face in his pillow and said in a muffled voice, "I'm doomed."

"Alright, let's not panic here," Ulrich said, "We just have to find something nice for you to wear and we just have to help you with figuring out what to say."

"You think it'll be that easy?" Odd asked, lowering the pillow from his face and looking at his friend.

"Sure," Ulrich said and he motioned for him to get up, "Sit up and lets have a conversation."

Odd sat up in his bed, with the pillow on his lap and looked at Ulrich with child-like eagerness.

"Okay, pretend I'm Aelita's dad," Ulrich said and Odd nodded, "Hey Odd, what job do you have?"

"Downtown Diner," Odd answered simply and Ulrich looked at him surprised.

"Why didn't you just say unemployed?"

"Because I'm about to get a job at that place," Odd said, "Against my will of course. Mr. Bubbles is making me."

"Okay, well next question," Ulrich said, "Hey Odd, what school subject are you interested in?"

"Gym."

"Oh, you like athletics? Do tell me more."

"I also like bothering Gymbo because it's hilarious," Odd said with a smile.

"Unnecessary information," Ulrich said.

Odd slumped a bit and Ulrich said, "But that's why we're practicing. Hey Odd, I hear you're on the basketball team, are you good?"

"I dunno," Odd shrugged.

"Have you ever gotten detention?"

"Yeah!" Odd laughed, "I just recently got one a few weeks ago for shouting penis in the middle of class."

Ulrich narrowed his eyes at his friend. Odd shrugged and said, "What? Me and Lance were playing the penis game."

"This'll be harder then I thought..." Ulrich sighed and Odd innocently picked lint off of his pillow case.

**...**

Aelita waited outside the restaraunt in a tan pencil skirt and a white cardigan. Her parents wore nice clothes as well since the restaraunt they were at was somewhat expensive. The three's attention was then brought to the Ishiyama's as they walked down the sidewalk toward them. They had just parked their car on the street and paid enough money as they thought they should in the meter.

"Hello there!" Mrs. Ishiyama greeted them along with the Belpois and they then started talking. They were catching up with all that had happened since their last dinner date together.

A black car then pulled up and a woman got out of the passengers' seat. "Hello Ishiyama's and Stones!" she greeted as she came over and gave them all hugs.

"Hello Mrs. Stern," Yumi said as she received her own embrace.

"You all look so grown up already," she said as Mr. Stern came up beside her. He had a usual serious like nature about him but he grinned at them nonetheless.

"Hello girls," he greeted and they waved back politely.

"Oh Ulrich! You look so spiffed up and nice!" Mrs. Ishiyama said with approval to the brunette boy and the two girls giggled.

Ulrich was wearing tan dress pants and a dark green button up shirt. His shoes were Nike's but nice enough to wear in the restaraunt. "Thanks Mrs. Ishiyama," he said. Then, glancing at Yumi he saw that she wore a pair of black dress pants with a white cardigan over a lacy white cami.

"You girls somewhat match!" Mrs. Stones said as she got out her camera, "So precious, let me get a picture."

The two girls smiled and the camera flashed just as a car pulled up to the restaraunt to drop someone off. It was stopped right in front of the families and they hardly paid much mind to it until the car door opened. Aelita turned to see who it was and blushed at who she saw.

A pair of white and black checkered Vans stepped out onto the sidewalk followed by bright white skinny jeans. To match with it was a black and white studded belt and a black button up shirt. Odd turned toward the group of people and Ulrich could see that he still had his snake bites in but they were two, small, black spikes instead of rings.

"Could be worse," Ulrich mumbled and shrugged.

"Behave," someone in the car growled.

"I know Bubbles I know!" Odd said through gritted teeth and slammed the door. The car drove away and the blonde boy turned back around to face the group of people.

"Odd DellaRobia," Mrs. Stones said as Mr. Stern looked the boy up and down with automatic disgust.

"Good evening Mrs. Stones, Mr. Stones," Odd said with a grin and Jeremy cocked his eyebrow as Yumi tried to suppress her giggles. Odd then turned to the Ishiyama's, "And you must be the Ishiyama's. You look like Yumi so that's how I know." his eyes then widened as he stuttered quickly, "A-and I mean that in a non-racial way."

Ulrich slapped a hand to his forehead as Mr. Ishiyama said, "Good evening to you son."

"We've heard so much about you from Yumi," Mrs. Ishiyama said.

"Oh that Yumi...such a fine-uh-fine lass..." he said and then turned to the Sterns.

"Lass?" Jeremy asked Ulrich and he just shrugged.

"Hello," the Belpois said politely as they shook his hand.

"Odd DellaRobia? That's your name, correct?" Mrs. Stern asked politely and he turned to her and stuck out his hand.

"Yes, ma'am."

She shook his hand and said, "So nice to meet you."

Odd glanced up at Mister Stern's hard stare and Odd watched his hand come out toward him. He put his hand in his to shake it and felt his firm grip. Ulrich looked nervously at Odd and his dad shake hands and when they let go, there were no words between them. Instead his dad just turned to the other adults and said, "Well, shall we?"

They all made their way into the restaraunt and Ulrich put a hand on Odd's shoulder and said, "Doing great."

Once inside the restaraunt, Odd sat in between Ulrich and Aelita across from the Stern's. They were all conversing except for Odd who sat listening to the conversations around him. His new piercing on his lip was somewhat bothering him mainly because it was sore after just getting it done yesterday. He had his elbows resting on the table and was fingering the new spike in his lip. He wasn't supposed to change it yet but he had anyway.

Just then Ulrich elbowed him and he turned to him. "What?"

He gestured over to the part of the table where the Stones were sitting and Odd turned his head. He saw Mrs Stones looking expectantly at him.

"I'm sorry what?" Odd asked dumbly.

"I asked if your parents were planning on joining us for our dinner," she asked sweetly.

Odd seemed caught off guard and Aelita sent her mother wide, warning eyes as she gave a small cough.

"Oh..." Odd said, "Um..."

Everyone was looking expectantly at him and he nervously fiddled with his napkin in front of him and said, "No, they won't be joining us tonight."

"Well why not?" Mrs. Stones asked innocently.

Aelita grunted, "Mom!"

"What?" she asked.

"Maybe we should drop the subject," Mister Stones said out of the corner of his mouth to his wife.

"Why not? Why can't I ask a simple question? Why do you two have to be on my case about it?" she asked.

Odd listened to them bicker as he put his chin in his hand. But Mister Ishiyama then broke the silence.

"So you've just started at Kadic this year then?" he asked as the waitress came by.

Odd nodded and the waitress started asking what everyone wanted to drink. Most of the adults seemed to be getting wine and water and the teenagers seemed to be getting soda. The waitress then looked at Odd expectantly and asked, "And you?"

"Don't even try and order a beer," Jeremy mumbled and Odd somehow managed to reach his leg across Ulrich and kick Jeremy in the shin. The table shook and made the silver wear rattle and the others seemed to notice this as Jeremy said, "Ow!"

"Water," Odd said as he grinned at the waitress.

"Alright, I'll be right back with your order!" the waitress said happily as she walked away.

The whole table was ordering lobster and crab to share between everyone. And when the large, plate of steaming seafood came out everyone looked relieved. They were all starved and everyone started taking their portion that they wanted. There were also garlic knots being brought around the table.

Odd looked at the crab leg that he had on his plate and tipped his head at it. There was also a pair of pliers by his plate along with a tiny fork. Mister Stern was eyeing him and Ulrich noticed this, but before he could say anything his mom asked the blonde boy, "Are you going to eat?"

Odd looked up at her and said, "Um...yeupp."

"Do you know how to eat it?" she asked.

"Of course he knows how to eat it mom," Ulrich said eyeing her and she just shrugged.

"I actually don't," Odd said out of the corner of his mouth.

"What?" Ulrich asked with a small laugh.

"I'll pretend like I don't want it," Odd whispered to him quickly.

Mister Stern was eyeing his son's and Odd's whispering conversation and he grumbled to himself.

For dinner, Odd just stuck with the rolls and lobster tail. And he had been doing a remarkably good job conversing with all the parents and they all seemed to like him. But he had talked to all but Ulrich's father. They hadn't spoken one word to each other throughout the whole night.

"Odd's a really good basketball player," Aelita said as she grinned at Odd.

Odd smiled and looked at the table and Mrs. Ishiyama asked, "Are you now?"

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"He is," Yumi said, "He's just being rather shy about it."

The table laughed at this and even Jeremy gave a laugh. The two had been acting normal since their fight before the break and the group of friends was happy about it.

"So do you work anywhere?" Mister Stones asked.

"Not yet, but I'm getting a job at the Downtown Diner soon," Odd said.

"A diner," Mister Stern more stated then asked, "Why a diner?"

Odd seemed caught of guard since this was the first time that the man had spoken to him, "Oh, um, just because I guess."

"Don't you strive for anything a little better then that?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," Odd answered as he shrugged, "It's not really my choice to get a job anyway."

"Oh?"

Ulrich gritted his teeth and muttered to himself so no one could hear, "Oh no, don't let it slip Odd..."

"Who's making you?" Ulrich's dad asked, "'Your mom?"

"No."

"Dad?"

"No."

Mister Stern eyed him and raised his eyebrows, "Who then?"

"Parole officer."

Ulrich put his hand to his mouth and rubbed his upper lip in nervousness.

"What?" his dad asked.

"I mean-uh..." Odd stuttered, "Not-not my parole officer-"

"I think you just said parole officer though," Mister Stern said.

"I didn't-uh-I-"

"So you're lying? I don't like when people lie to me."

"I'm not-um-" Odd wiggled his snake bites with his tongue in nervousness and that just made Mister Stern glare at him even more. And especially when he saw the tongue ring that was settled in the middle of his tongue.

"Dessert!" the waitress came out with everyones dessert and that made everyone ease up after the tension.

Aelita put a hand on Odd's knee in comfort and then went to her dessert. It looked to be pie with fancy garnishes on top and everyone was seeming to enjoy it.

"You didn't seem to have eaten too much during dinner tonight," Mrs. Stones said, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Odd said, giving her a reassuring smile as he poked at the dessert that was in front of him.

"Hey, can you pass me that roll basket?" Ulrich asked and Odd took it and started handing it over to his friend.

The basket ran into Mrs. Stern's wine glass and started tipping over slowly enough for him to process what was happening. Odd leaped up to reach for it and grab it so only a little drop got on the white table cloth. But it was just then that a waiter came by and said pointedly, "You're not aloud to drink if you're underage."

"I wasn't," Odd said as he jerked his hand caused the wine to spill all over Mister Sterns' clothes. "Shit muffins! I'm sorry!"

Hiroki giggled, "Shit muffins..."

"Hiroki! Don't repeat that!" Mrs. Ishiyama scolded.

"Is that the language you tend to use?" Mister Stern scolded as he began wiping the wine off of his clothing.

"Um...it-it slipped," Odd said as he began to weakly clean up the wine on the table cloth with Aelita and Ulrich helping him.

The same waiter then came by that had scolded Odd for holding the glass of wine and bumped into him on accident. This caused Odd to fall forward and make the candle on the table tip over and land in Mister Stern's lap. What happened next made the whole table jump up and panic.

"My pants are on fire!" Mister Stern shouted as he jumped up from his seat.

Mrs. Stern squealed as she attempted to put it out and the waiter was trying to as well. The whole restaraunt was staring at the whole scene as their table just happened to be in the middle of the restaraunt.

"Shit! My bad!" Odd said and then looked around and grabbed a glass of water from the table and tossed the liquid out and onto the panicking man. But the water just landed on his face and he sputtered and spit the water out as it dripped down his face. "Damn! My bad again!" Odd said and grabbed another glass and tried pouring it again but again it landed in Mister Stern's face.

The next time Odd tried however he succeeded in putting out part of the fire, Mister Stones managed to put out the rest with another glass of water.

The panic then seemed to dissapear and the whole restaraunt was silent except for the classical music playing throughout the restaraunt.

A waiter then left to get a towel and bumped into Odd's elbow, making him drop the glass and break it on the floor. The shatter from the glass made the silence even more awkward and he winced.

Mister Stern turned slowly toward the blonde boy with a glare. He saw Odd standing there with wide eyes. Mister Stern glared with the water dripping from his face and his pants singed badly to the point that you could see some of his skin.

Odd slowly started backing away as he said, "I-I'll just go..."

"Wonderful idea," Mister Stern said through tightly gritted teeth.

The restaraunt watched him walk out quickly and heard the door shut that signalled that he had just left. Ulrich rubbed the back of his neck and Aelita looked at where the retreated boy had just left the restaraunt and sighed. She started walking out after him but Ulrich held her back and said, "I'll go."

Yumi, Aelita and Jeremy watched Ulrich leave the restaraunt.

Ulrich walked out to see Odd leaning against the brick wall of the restaraunt with his head against the bricks. And despite the situation that had just happened in the restaraunt, Ulrich couldn't help but find the way Odd looked humorous.

"So...there were a _few_ mistakes...but other then that you were good," Ulrich said with a grin.

Odd pointed a warning finger at him but kept his eyes closed, "Don't."

Ulrich held up his hands and walked closer to his friend, "Look, my dad is a serious person in general."

"He hates me."

"Maybe, but like I said he's a serious person in general."

"I spilt wine on him and caught him on fire." Odd mumbled.

Ulrich sighed and said, "Yeah...could've been worse though."

Odd got up off the wall and saw a large rock beside him. He picked it up and started tossing it up in the air and catching it.

"I was worried about impressing Aelita's parents more than yours," Odd managed to grin at his friend.

"They seemed to like you," Ulrich said.

"Excuse me!" someone came by knocked Odd almost off his feet and made him drop the rock right through a car window.

The alarm immediately went off along with the window breaking.

"Whoops...at least it's not your dad's car," Odd laughed a bit.

"Actually...it is."

The families were about to make their way outside when them along with the whole restaraunt heard a car alarm and a loud shout of anger from outside.

"FUCK ME!"

Hiroki giggled and Mister Ishiyama gave him a hard glare as Yumi put a hand to her forehead and groaned.

"That sounds like Odd..." Mrs. Belpois mumbled and Aelita had to cover her mouth so no one could see her smiling.

The Sterns' rushed out of the restaraunt and everyone heard Mister Stern shout, "MY CAR!"


	28. ATTENTION READERS

Okay sooo...this isn't a new chapter. In fact, I've deleted the original five or four that were once here. DON'T FRET. I'm changing the ending to how I was originally going to have it. So therefor, Odd is not going to jail but don't worry, he would have turned up innocent; Sam was threatened by Ronnie and some of his thugs that if she didn't make Odd seem guilty then something bad would happen to her. I don't remember what; just goes to show how long it's been since I've updated XD

Really sorry though guys. Not only have I had no inspiration lately, I've also been quite busy. Not much time for updating fanfics.

Another thing: I'm going to delete a whole bunch of my stories on here. I want to start close to fresh again so I can get abunch of complete stories on here so I can have pretty much a blank canvas to start whatever new fic I want.

Again, DON'T FRET; I should have another chapter of this story up soon. I don't know who all is still following it because you all probably think it's abandoned; but I plan to finish it!

Also (seriously, last thing) I think at some point when this whole story is finished, I'll go through all of these chapters and edit them. Reading back through some of the chapter I'm like, "Damn. Did I really write like that?" Yeah...I'm a better writer now.

So anyway, look forward to the next chapter!

(Whoever is still following at least XDD)


	29. Chapter 28

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 26**

"Go! Go!" Aelita shouted as she stood up in the bleachers. She was in between Yumi and Jeremy and the whole crowd was cheering. The time clock was down to ten seconds and the shoes down on the floor were squeaking wildly.

Lance dribbled the ball until he realized that it was about to get taken away from him. He then grabbed the ball and tossed it over to Odd who caught it and dribbled it the rest of the way to the end of the court.

"Go DellaRobia! Go! Go!" Gym shouted at the top of his lungs. The players on the sidelines were standing up and cheering as well. The whole gymnasium was filled with loud cheers and shouts.

"You got this!" Ulrich shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth.

And then Odd jumped up and slam dunked the ball into the basket right when the time buzzed out. Gym jumped up higher then anyone thought he would have been able to and he danced around. One of the players on the sidelines was grabbed up into a tight hug by the large man.

Aelita was grinning as she ran down the bleachers and onto the court. She Odd break away from his fellows that were patting him on the back and practically jumping all over him.

"That was so great!" Aelita said as she hugged him.

"I'm all sweaty Aelita," Odd said, out of breath.

"I don't care," Aelita laughed as she handed him his water bottle, "That's our fourth win in a row we're undefeated!"

Sissi glared at the two with disgust and annoyance from her spot in the bleachers. That pink-haired girl was really seeming to lead on Jeremy and Odd together, the nerve of her! Of course, she seemed to like Odd more that way then Jeremy. Sissi gave a 'hmph!' and walked off the bleachers but then paused on her way out as she heard them talking.

"You want to go to the dance with me?" Odd asked quickly as he looked her in the eyes.

Aelita grinned, "Yes!"

Sissi couldn't help the mishievious smirk that came to her face as Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremy came down from the bleachers as well. She watched them as they all seemed to be rather happy with each other, no fighting, no awkwardness.

"That can soon change my favorite torment-ees," Sissi said as she then whipped her hair over her shoulder and walked out of the gymnasium doors.

**...**

A couple hours later, night had fallen and Jeremy was walking back toward the area of the dorm rooms. He had been studying in the library so intently that he'd lost track of time. Now he was in one of the outside hallways, laptop under one arm and books under another. He was about to round the corner when someone came around and scared him almost out of his witts.

The books went toppling to the floor but luckily he kept hold of his laptop.

"Sissi!" Jeremy said with annoyane.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I startle you?" she asked with mock innocence.

"What do you want?" Jeremy asked as he bent down to pick up his fallen books. But a foot came down on the last one as he went to pick it up. Jeremy looked up at Sissi as she stared down at him with a familiar expression on her face that he'd seen many times.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"Whatever it is, I can't say I'm very interested," Jeremy said as he slipped the book out from underneath her foot and placed it under his arm with the rest. He then stood back up and moved around to her continue walking to the boys' dorms.

"Would you be interested if I said it had to do with Aelita and Odd?"

This made Jeremy stop in his tracks. He turned around to look as Sissi who was now smirking and leaning against the brick wall. Jeremy walked a little closer to her.

"What about Aelita and Odd?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, just that he asked her out to the dance," Sissi said as she examined her fingernails. She then looked up at Jeremy and said, "And she said yes."

There was silence as Jeremy seemed to be processing this information. He wasn't sure how to respond to it.

"You know, the dance that happens after Christmas break?" Sissi continued on.

"I know what dance it is. Why do I need to know this?" Jeremy asked as if he didn't care. But he then turned around and he looked at the ground with concern. Why would Aelita say yes?

"Just thought you'd like to know," Sissi said before getting up off the wall and turning around and walking off.

Jeremy turned his head as he watched her go inside the building. The door shut and Jeremy hesitated a bit before continueing on his walk back to his dorm.

The next morning Jeremy walked out of the lunch line with his tray and started on his way to his usual table. However, a sight caused him to stop in his tracks.

Odd and Aelita were laughing at the table at something unknown to him. Jeremy watched the way Aelita touched Odd's shoulder and laid her head on his arm as she laughed extra hard. When she lifted her head back up she wiped her eyes a bit since her laughing had made her tear up. Her face was a small shade of pink and as she wiped away that tear of happiness, Odd shoved her playfull. Aelita returned this shove herself and Odd grinned at her as he poked at his food on his tray.

Jeremy sighed before continueing on his walk to the table. When he got there he set his tray down at and sat beside Ulrich across from Odd.

"Good morning Jeremy," Yumi said.

Odd and Aelita were just finished with whatever they had been laughing at and were now just letting out small snickers.

"What's so funny?" Jeremy asked Ulrich.

"Ask them, they were talking about something and then just collapsed into laughter," he said and took a bite of pancake.

"You wouldn't understand," Aelita said as she too took a bite of her breakfast.

Odd stood up with his tray and Yumi noticed that practically the whole breakfast was still on there. She sighed and nudged Ulrich, he grunted and looked at her and then in the direction that she was pointing.

"What?" Ulrich asked dumbly.

"He doesn't eat!" Yumi said.

"What do you want me to do?" Ulrich shrugged, "If he's not hungry than he's not hungry."

"It's just weird," Yumi said as she glanced back at her friend and then how he walked outside to meet Mr. Bubbles.

"Well he is weird so..." Jeremy mumbled.

"What's wrong with you?" Aelita grinned at him.

"Nothing," Jeremy snapped.

Aelita blew this off and turned to Yumi, "So Yumi, you ready to go shopping for dresses tonight?"

"You're going shopping for dresses already?" Ulrich asked with surprise.

"Yeah!" they answered in a 'duh' tone.

Ulrich and Jeremy left the two girls to their dress conversation and went into their own until they had to get up and leave for their first class.

In the first class of the day, Jeremy was paying attention to the lesson but at the same time thinking about Aelita. He couldn't seem to get his mind off of her. Same with the other teachers throughout the day. A teacher would teach Geometry, Jeremy would solve the problem, but his thoughts still went straight back to Aelita. It was like he just couldn't get her out of his mind. Jeremy knew what he needed to do.

Jeremy decided that he wanted to ask someone out to the dance.

At the end of the second class, Jeremy realized someone was poking him in the head. This emerged him from his thoughts just as he heard Odd mumble to the others, "Is he okay?"

"I'm fine," Jeremy snapped as he stood up and shoved past the others.

"Woah," Ulrich said as he saw Jeremy walk angrily out of the room. He then turned to Odd, "What did you do?"

"_Me_?" Odd asked, pointing to himself, "I didn't do anything! Anyone else do anything?"

Everyone shook their heads in response. They weren't exactly sure what Jeremy's problem was, but some of them had an idea. Yumi and Ulrich knew about Aelita and Odd going to the dance together, and Jeremy must've found out somehow.

While they were walking through the hallway, Yumi asked them, "Where are you all going for your holiday break?"

"Aunt's," Aelita answered.

"Grandparents," Ulrich responded.

"Sisters'," Odd answered as he texted on his phone.

They all looked at him with slight surprise. He didn't notice until he realized that no one was speaking and he saw from the corner of his eye that they were staring.

"What?" he asked.

"You get to go to your sisters' for the holidays?" Aelita asked.

"Yeah, I was actually aloud to," he answered with a small smile.

"That's great! Are we going to be able to meet her?" Aelita asked excitedly.

"Yeah, that'd be great if we were able to," Yumi agreed, "You've met our families, we need to meet some of yours!"

Ulrich wasn't contributing to the conversation as he stared at Odd. He was eyeing his face and looking him up and down. His face had slight dark circles underneath them and it seemed skinnier then a week ago. And when he looked him over once more, he really noticed how much more skinnier he seemed.

"Ulrich?" Odd asked.

"Hm?" Ulrich asked, breaking out of his thoughts.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he laughed, "You're sort of creeping me out."

Ulrich shook his head and said, "Um, n-no reason. I just sort of phased out."

"Hey Odd!" They heard Lance's voice from ahead calling to them. When he got in front of them, he talked directly to Odd, "Emergency basketball meeting. Come on!"

"Oh, alright," Odd answered and then turned to his friends, "Catch you guys later!"

And then him and Lance rounded the corner out of their sight. Ulrich watched Odd the whole way, still seeing the difference in the way he looked. Maybe it was just because he was tired from studying and basketball?

**...**

It was nine o'clock at night and Odd sat at his desk tapping his pencil on the text book that lay in front of him. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as he tried to focus on his homework. It wasn't abnormal for Odd to not focus on school work, but for some reason now he really, really couldn't. And the door opening as Ulrich came in just distracted him further.

"Hey," he said as he walked in and came up beside the blonde, "We didn't see you at dinner. I brought you up something in case you wanted it."

"Thanks Ulrich," he said as he continued tapping his pencil.

"Something bothering you?" Ulrich asked.

"No, just concentrating," he answered dismissively.

"Oh," Ulrich answered as he went over to where his pajamas sat on his bed. He slipped off his shirt and put on a white boy tank top, "Well, maybe you should eat. You hardly ate anything at breakfast and you didn't eat any lunch."

"Not really hungry," Odd responded.

"Come on, you have to be," Ulrich said.

"Well I'm not."

Ulrich sighed as he put his clothes he'd worn that day in the hamper at the foot of his bed. He went over to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder, "Something's up with you and I want to know what it is."

"What are you talking about?" Odd asked as he continued tapping his pencil.

"You hardly eat at all and I've noticed you look really tired lately," Ulrich answered.

"I've been studying and doing basketball and stuff. It's nothing," Odd answered as he stopped tapping his pencil.

"But-"

"Seriously Ulrich, don't worry about it," Odd said as he looked up at his friend and gave him what he hoped was a reasurring smile. He then got up from his chair and collapsed on his bed, "I don't feel like working on homework anymore," he mumbled into the mattress.

Ulrich grinned and went over to the door with his toothbrush, "Well if you need any help you know who to ask."

"Not you?" Odd smirked as he looked up at his friend.

Ulrich rolled his eyes, "Well I was going for Jeremy."

Odd grinned pulled the covers up over himself, "You know I'm kidding with you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever!" Ulrich said in mock anger as he closed the door.

Odd's smile disappeard from his face as his friend left the room. He didn't want Ulrich to be concerned about him, or any of the others for that matter. Maybe the others hadn't been noticing?

**...**

The day had finally come for the students of Kadic to leave for their holiday breaks. They were all bustling around the school getting their luggage around and hurrying to catch their bus rides and car rides. Even the teachers were hurrying around so they could leave as well, occasionally getting after a kid if they were misbehaving.

Aelita zipped up her suitcase and left her dorm room. She walked down the hallway and ran into Sissi on the way.

"Hello there!"

Aelita narrowed her eyes at the rude girl, "Hello Sissi. Move."

"Oh, snippy today are we?"

"I don't feel like dealing with you today because I'm in a very good mood. Don't try and ruin it," Aelita said.

"Fine! Whatever you lead-on," Sissi said brattily before turning around and walking in the other direction.

Aelita looked over her shoulder at the girl. "What did you just call me?"

"A lead-on," Sissi said as she looked over her shoulder as well, "Figure out what it means yourself."

Aelita furrowed her eyebrows and then continued walking the way she had been before.

Ulrich walked into the courtyard with Odd. They had their luggage with them and the suitcases rolled behind them on the frozen grass. One student tripped over Ulrich suitcase but managed to keep his footing and continue running.

"How is it that we're the only ones that hurrying around all that much?" Ulrich asked his friend.

"Because we're chill and we don't have to rush around," Odd answered simply.

There was a honk of a horn as they got closer to the busy road. They both looked in front of them and saw a black car parked and waiting. There was also a familiar dent in the front where a certain rock had been dropped on it. Ulrichs' mom waved to them as his dad stood beside her and glared at Odd.

"Oh happy day," Odd said as he grinned and waved as well, "You're dad still hates me."

"Don't worry about it," Ulrich said as he walked up to his parents.

Mr. Stern immediately took Ulrich's luggage and went to put it in the trunk. His mother hugged him and started asking him how he was since the last they'd seen each other.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Stern!" Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy greeted as they came up behind them.

"Hello," Mrs. Stern greeted with a bright smile, "Are you all packed and ready for your trips as well?"

Jeremy and Aelita nodded while Yumi said, "Well we're having Christmas at my house this year so no."

There was then another honk that was heard as it drove toward them. It was a white car and it parked a couple of spots away from them. The others knew it wasn't their parents and they looked at each other curiously, except for Odd who dropped his luggage right where he stood and started walking forward.

The passenger side door opened as someone stepped out of the car. The woman was as young as twenty-three with a glowing face and bright blonde hair. They all then noticed her face more and they could see the resemblance between her and Odd.

"Adelle," Odd said in a hushed voice as they hurried up to each other and hugged each other.

"Odd," she said in a quiet, tear covered voice.

They watched as they held each other for a few moments, Adelle seeming to speak some words in Odd's ear that none of them could hear.

"Who is that?" Mrs. Stern asked Ulrich.

"Is it some friend of his?" Mr. Stern asked with a still smug look on his face.

"That's his sister Adelle," Ulrich answered.

"How do you know?" Yumi asked.

"Hey, we tell each other things," Ulrich shrugged, "So therefore I know these things."

Someone got out of the driver's side and they saw someone else that seemed to look like Odd but this time he was a male. He had a purple, short mohawk going down along his head. He appeared to be about twenty years old. They saw that he tapped Adelle on the shoulder, causing them to seperate and the older boy grabbed Odd up in a large hug that lifted him off of the ground as he spun him around. The two were laughing and Adelle wiped some tears from her face as she smiled at them as well.

"How long has it been since they've seen each other you think?" Yumi asked as they continued watching.

"Like, six months," Ulrich answered. "They haven't been able to see each other much over the past two years."

"Uncle Oddy!" a small voice cried from the car.

Odd separated from Bobby's tight, man-handled hug and beamed at a small four-year-old brunette. Her hair was long and straight; the purple, green, and black beanie that was on her head was slightly too big - slipping down over her eyes as she ran. The thick, white jacket she wore blended in with the snow, and the blue jeans she wore were too long; the ends of the denim were folded up over her brown snow boots.

"Munchkin!" Odd said cheerfully as he bent down and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture.

Right away, he was almost toppled to the ground as the little girl rammed into him with a hug. With her arms wrapped around his neck, Odd stood up and looked at her with more adoring eyes than Ulrich and the others had ever seen him express. He fixed her hat with another hand, pulling it up so she could see properly.

"Need to fix that, Hallie," Odd said grinning at her. "For all you know, you could have jumped on a stranger."

"Or a reindeer," she responded.

"A reindeer?" he asked curiously. "Why a reindeer?"

"Because that's how Santa Clause gets here," she answered simply.

Odd nodded as though this were logical, despite the fact that it wasn't even Christmas yet. Bobby and Adelle walked away from Odd's conversation with the small child and went over to introduce themselves to the Sterns.

"I'm Adelle, Odd's sister," Adelle introduced herself, steam from her breath swirling in the cold air.

"I'm Bobby, his brother," Bobby introduced himself.

After they shook hands, Mr. Stern looked them up and down and folded his arms. His grunt made Bobby furrow his eyebrows at him; but he then looked over as he was introduced to the four teenagers.

"Hello," he greeted with a smile, "I was just talking to Odd on the phone the other night and he told me so much about you all. Oh that sucks, how'd that dent happen?" he then randomly asked as he gestured to the dent in the Stern's car.

"Odd happened to it," Mr. Stern said and Mrs. Stern elbowed him.

"It was an accident," she then said with a smile.

Adelle bit her lip and Bobby raised his eyebrows and tried hiding his grin from the others as he looked at Odd.

"We can pay for it," Adelle said.

"Oh no!" Mrs. Stern said, "No, no, it's fine. It's just a little dent, no big deal."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, yes I'm sure. Thank you though."

"Well, I would love to introduce you to Hallie but she's a bit preoccupied...hold on," Adelle turned around and called to the two that were still conversing. They were both on the topic of what snow was made out of. "Hallie! Come here and meet-n-greet!"

"Okay!" Hallie called back, her voice squeaky and young. She then grabbed Odd's hand and guided him over to them as though he couldn't find the way himself.

"You just interrupted a fascinating conversation about what snow is made out of," Odd told Adelle.

"Oh?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Tell her Hallie," Odd said as he looked down at the little girl who was playing with the zipper on his jacket.

"It's made out of...out of cottage cheese that the birds left in the refrigerator too long. That's why it doesn't taste like anything because the cold took it all away," she answered as though it were logical.

Adelle furrowed her eyebrows at her daughter as Odd said, "See? I did not know that!"

"You are a strange cookie, Hal," Adelle said as she shook her head. She then guided her daughter by the shoulders to face the Sterns and the others and she said, "This is my daughter, Hallie."

Mrs. Stern grinned as she bent down and said, "Nice to meet you! And how old are you Miss. Hallie?"

"Four years old!" Hallie replied as she held the numbers up on her fingers.

As the adults and Hallie were in their own conversation, the five teenagers talked amongst themselves.

"I have never seen you act so chipper and friendly," Jeremy commented as he fidgeted with his jacket hood.

"What?" Odd asked.

"I didn't think you would even be decent with a child," he eyed him pointedly.

"I thought it was cute," Aelita said as she grinned.

"You should be a babysitter," Ulrich joked.

"Shut up," Odd said, frowning at them and crossing his arms.

The blonde then felt a pressure on his legs and he looked down to see Hallie hugging them - her face in his knees. Odd looked as though he was trying to fight a smile but failed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, and Hallie mumbled something incoherent against Odd's knees and he grinned again. "Oh, okay. Just wondering."

"So Hallie," Yumi asked sweetly and the child peered from Odd's knees at her, though her arms stayed wrapped. "What did you ask Santa Clause for?"

"So many things!" she responded cheerfully.

"Like what?" Yumi laughed.

Hallie then began to list all of the things as she slapped a hand against Odd's jacket pocket. It was almost as though if she stopped paying attention to him for more than a few seconds, he would disappear.

"A snow machine, a horse, a stable, a kitty, a puppy, and one of my wishes have already come true!" she said happily.

"And what's that?" Aelita asked.

"For my Uncle Oddy to be with us for Christmas," she answered as she hugged his legs again.

There was a small silence as Odd shuffled his feet uncomfortably as Yumi then said with a smile, "Well, it's a good thing that wish came true."

Odd then gave a cough and changed the subject abruptly as though it pained him. "You need to zip this up further..." he said as he crouched down and zipped Hallie's jacket up further.

"We should probably be leaving," Bobby said as he looked at his watch on his wrist from under his jacket sleeve.

"Joey will probably be wondering where we are if we take too long anyway," Adelle said. "Hallie come on!"

"He freaks out over nothing these days," Bobby said as they both started walking away, Hallie with them, and Bobby holding Odd's luggage.

"He's just concerned!"

"I think he's paranoid over nothing."

"He is not!"

Odd listened to them playfully argue all the way back to the car as he turned to his friends that he wouldn't be seeing for over a week.

He shrugged, "Well, I'll see all of you around I guess."

They all gave each other their usual hugs as they continued listening to Odd's brother and sister argue in the background.

"Do they always do that?" Yumi asked as she watched them with an amused grin.

Odd looked over at his siblings as they continued playfully argueing. Bobby through a snowball at his sister and it hit her in the face, causing it to get in her hair. "That was so rude! And that wasn't even that big of a snow ball it was tiny."

"Oh yeah?" he teased, "Let's see you throw a bigger one!"

"Don't make me come over and hit you!" she shouted as she went on the other side of the car and started beating on him.

Odd turned back to the others, "Yeah. They've always been like that."

"Ow! You hit me in the eye!" They heard Bobby shout in the background, "Odd get over here before I get beaten to death by this psychopath!"

"I guess I have to go," Odd said as he started backing away, "Later."

**...**

The break went by somewhat fast and somewhat slow. Everyone having a great time as they continued with their holiday celebrations. The New Year had come along with more celebration. But now that the holiday break was over, the students were starting to pile back into Kadic.

Few teachers were already back and watching over the students arriving back and making sure there weren't any shenanigans. But it was a calm afternoon, everyone seemingly tired from their travels and the busy break that they'd had.

Ulrich walked into his dorm room and set his stuff on the floor. He then laid down on his bed and his eyes drooped shut. He was only planning on taking an hour long nap. By then Aelita, Yumi, Odd and Jeremy should all be at Kadic. They'd either come to his dorm or they'd surely text him and tell him to meet them up somewhere.

Ulrich let sleep overtake him as he relaxed.

Aelita walked to Jeremy's dorm and knocked. There was a muffled response of 'come in' and Aelita opened the door. "Hey Jeremy!" she greeted.

"Oh, hey Aelita," he greeted, not looking away from his laptop.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked as she looked over his shoulder.

"Working on school work," he answered.

"Oh."

There was silence except for Jeremy's finger moving along the key board. He then sighed and looked at her, "Are you going to watch me type or something?" he asked, grinning.

"Well, I havn't seen Yumi yet because she should be getting here like soon. And I havn't seen Ulrich or Odd today," she replied as she fiddled with a strand of her pink hair.

"So I'm like a last resort?" he asked.

"No?" Aelita answered, giving him a weird look, "Why would you say that?"

"Oh no reason," Jeremy said glumly as he looked back at his computer.

"What's been the matter with you lately?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jeremy asked.

"You've seemed angry and glum."

"What do you mean lately? This is the first day we've been back from break."

"You were like this before break though."

"Just forget about it."

Aelita opened her mouth to say more but a knock was heard on Jeremy's door. "Come in!" he said and the door opened to reveal Yumi.

"Hello everyone!" she said as she closed the door, "Or...almost everyone. Where are Ulrich and Odd?"

"I'm guessing in their dorm room," Aelita shrugged, "I havn't seen either of them today."

"Weird," Yumi said and Aelita nodded in agreement.

"They don't need to be under your supervision all the time guys. Calm down!" Jeremy snapped.

"Woah there!" Yumi said, her hands on her hips, "What's the matter with you?"

"Just forget it," Jeremy snapped in the same angry tone.

Yumi opened her mouth to get angry at him back but Aelita shook her head. Yumi bit back her snide comment and decided to flip out her phone instead.

Ulrich awoke with a start as his phone rang right beside his head.

"Mmm, hello?" he grumbled tiredly.

"Ulrich? Were you sleeping?" he could hear Yumi ask him over the phone.

"Yes," he answered.

"Oh, well come on down to Jeremy's room!" she invited.

"What time is it?" Ulrich asked.

There was a slight pause as Yumi checked the time and then answered, "Eight o'clock."

"Seriously?" Ulrich sat upright in bed and hopped right out, "I was only going to take like a thirty minute nap! I never even unpacked!"

He could hear Yumi laugh on the other end and heard something along the lines of him being a lazy hum.

"Hey! I heard that!" he said to her and she laughed some more.

"Well unpack later," Yumi said, "Come down here instead! It's more fun then unpacking I'm sure."

"Alright, I'm on my way."

Ulrich hung up his phone and looked around the room. He looked over at the bed with the absent student. He also didn't see any luggage in the room other than his own. He scratched his head as he thought aloud, "Where is he?"

Perhaps he'd already put his things away and just didn't wake him up? He's probably already down at Jeremy's dorm. Shrugging, Ulrich left the dorm room and started his way down the hall to Jeremy's dorm. He knocked and he heard 'come in' from all three of them. Ulrick peaked his head around the door and grinned at them, "Hello again."

"Hello sleepy head," Yumi greeted with a grin, "It's about time you got up."

"Yeah you lazy bum," Aelita chimed in, "Maybe Odd should take you to one of his basketball practices to make you un-lazy."

"Hey! Hey! I'm a soccer player remember?" he said as he grinned but then his grin soon faded as he looked around the room, "Where's Odd?"

"He's not with you?" Aelita asked and Ulrich narrowed his eyes and gestured beside him to where no one was.

"Does it look like he's with me?"

Jeremy turned in his spinny chair to look at Ulrich. "You mean, you don't know where he is?"

"No," Ulrich answered, "I thought he was in here. I havn't seen him at all today."

"Me neither."

"Neither have I."

"I havn't either."

They all answered that they hadn't seen their pointy-haired, blonde companion. Ulrich scratched his head and reached into his pocket. "Hold up, let me call him."

The phone rang a couple times before it stopped and there was a slight muffling noise. Then, "Hello?"

"Odd, where are you?" Ulrich asked as his friends listened.

"I would have been there by now but I missed my bus," Odd replied as he looked down the subway tunnel. "I have to take the subway to get to some other bus stop. So...I'll probably be back at Kadic around eleven."

Ulrich shook his head, "Alright. Well, you need me to tell Gym-?"

"Nah. Already contacted Mr. Delmas," Odd replied.

"Alright, cool. Seeya later then," Ulrich said and then flipped his phone closed. Then, looking up at his friends, he said, "He missed his bus."

"Of course he did," Jeremy said in response.

Aelita shot a glare at him before saying, "So what time will he be here?"

"Eleven."

"Sucks," Yumi replied as she laid back on Jeremy's bed. "I guess I'll have to wait to see him tomorrow."

Jeremy then whipped his chair around and faced his friends. "Why are you guys so upset just because Odd isn't here?"

"We just haven't seen him in a little while is all, Jeremy," Yumi replied as she sat up and looked at him curiously. "We've missed each other." Why was he getting so angry?

Jeremy rolled his eyes, grumbled incoherently, and whipped his chair back around.

**...**

Odd looked down the subway tunnel. It was dark and quiet. The only lights were the dim fluorescents along the ceiling going down the tunnel above the tracks. His breath could be seen as he breathed out and looked back at the track. His hands were in his pocket; his phone was returned to his jeans pocket.

There was then a noise to his left; it sounded like scuffling. When Odd looked over though, it was just the homeless man that had been sitting there the whole time he'd been in the station. The man readjusted the ripped gloves on his hands, stood up and trudged up the stairs and out of the subway. Odd turned back around and was going to pull out his phone to check the time before he heard a distressed noise coming from outside the subway station.

Hardly thinking, Odd hurried up the stairs into the cold night air. The first thing he saw was a large figure beating on the homeless man that had just exited the tunnel.

"I don't have any money!" the homeless man cried as he tried to crawl away on the ground.

But the man continued to wail on him with what appeared to be a wrench. Odd stood appalled for a few seconds before breaking away and shouting, "Hey!" Running up to the man, he tried to grab the wrench, "What are you doing?"

The man whipped around and glared at Odd. He wore a black hoodie and the wrench in his hand was being clenched tightly. The man then started violently twitching and letting out small noises of anger; Odd wondered silently whether this man was even right in the head. He didn't have much more time to think about it though as the man charged at him and attempted to hit him with the wrench.

Odd ducked and started to run in the opposite direction. As he did so he pulled his phone out of his pocket and started dialing 911. This, however, distracted him from the uneven sidewalk and he tripped and fell. The cell phone fell from his grasp and bounced a little ways down the concrete. Odd could feel fresh scrapes on the side of his face but he didn't care at the moment, he could hear the crazed man coming up on him fast.

With one desperate grab, Odd snatched his phone as he started running again. At last, he finished the call and he pressed the phone to his ear as he continued running down the sidewalk.

"911, what's your emergency?" a woman asked from the other line.

"There's a man chasing me!" Odd said urgently into the phone and rather breathlessly.

"Okay, okay. I'm tracking your call now just-" But Odd then felt something hard hit the back of his head and dots came into his vision. Losing his balance, he fell onto the concrete again, his phone flying out of his grasp. Odd looked at it blearily for a moment as it lay on the sidewalk and the screen stayed lit; it appeared as though the line was still connected and he could hear the lady saying urgently, "Hello? Sir? Are you still there? Sir?"

Odd then felt someone grab him up off the ground with the strength of a large man. The man then threw him down on the ground again and everything went black.

**...**

11:00

Ulrich looked at his digital clock and then at the door, wondering where his roommate was. He had probably missed his second bus.

Thinking this, Ulrich smiled to himself and shook his head. Odd could handle coming into the dorm on his own anyway. Laying back on the bed, Ulrich felt himself ease into dream world.

7:00

Ulrich's alarm awoke him and he slapped it with a tired hand. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he yawned.

"Odd, time to get up," he said as he stood up and started gathering his clothes to bring to the showers. There was no reply so Ulrich turned around and looked at his friend's bed. Empty. The side of the room was just as it was when he went to sleep.

Ulrich went to his favorites' section in his phone and rang Odd's number. It rang, and rang, and rang. It then clicked and said, "You've reached Odd DellaRobia, please leave a message at the tone. _Beep._"

"Hey Odd, it's Ulrich," he said as he started leaving a message, "Where are you? You said you'd be back at eleven and it's sort of seven o'clock in the morning right now. You know the teachers AND Mr. Bubbles with be angry if you skip classes! Call me back when you get this bro, bye."

He hung up his phone and looked back up Odd's side of the room.

"He didn't answer?" Aelita asked at the cafeteria table.

"Yeah," Ulrich replied as he took a bite of his pancake.

"He probably just missed his second bus," Jeremy commented. He seemed to have gotten over his foul mood from the night before.

"Probably," Ulrich laughed. "I'll try him again."

He tried four more times that morning, and everytime there was no answer.

**...**

**...A/N**

New chapter finally! This one seems familiar because it was already uploaded before. But I revised it because I'm doing a different ending. GASP.


	30. Chapter 29

Key texts in this chapter:

_abcd_= a dream

abcd= normal

**Out of Place**

**Chapter 27**

Ulrich could hardly remember anything the teachers were saying throughout the first three classes of the day. Throughout each one he would just sit in his seat and think; think about where Odd could possibly be. At first it was a joke, imagining Odd missing his second bus. He figured he would be back by now and be laughing about his carelessness; Jeremy would then lecture him on the need to be more responsible and Odd would roll his eyes and retort back; but this didn't happen.

At lunch there was still no Odd. Yumi sat down at the table and asked where he was and Ulrich answered he never arrived last night. This brought on a new expression of worry on Yumi's face as she looked over at Jeremy and Aelita, as though silently asking if this were true. Their expressions proved that it was indeed true. Aelita looked worried while Jeremy just looked curious.

"I just don't understand how he thinks he won't get in trouble for this," Jeremy commented as he ate his lunch. "Yeah, he's had some misses but that doesn't mean they won't notice him not being in class." The whole table was silent and Jeremy looked around at them. "Oh come on you guys, he's probably just playing hookie."

"Yeah. Yeah, probably," Aelita said, trying to reassure herself.

"But then why would he not answer his phone?" Ulrich asked.

Jeremy pondered for a couple seconds before answering, "He must've broke it."

Ulrich pulled out his phone to call again but Jeremy looked pointedly at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Leave him be, Ulrich," Jeremy scolded. "He's not a child. Well...actually..."

"Too bad Odd's not here to argue with you, Jeremy," Yumi said with a grin and then took a bite of her lunch.

There was a little reasurrance at the table, leaving them able to converse normally. At least, as normally as possible with one of their group missing. They had almost forgotten that there was once a time when it was just the four of them. It didn't feel as right.

Night had fallen and they were all hanging out in the cafeteria. Yumi had decided to stay at Kadic for dinner, which Ulrich enjoyed immensely. She didn't do this very often.

Odd still hadn't shown up and the others were itching to call him.

Jeremy seemed to read their minds and he said, "Just you wait. He'll probably show up tonight."

"You think so, Jeremy?" Aelita asked hopefully.

"Yepp! He'll come into the cafeteria wearing an obnoxious T-Shirt, black sweat pants, and his ratty old shoes. Then he'll sit down and start telling us all about how he broke his phone and yadayada."

"You have this all planned out then don't you?" Ulrich asked, grinning. "You've been thinking about him more than you care to admit."

"Have not!" Jeremy argued. He then crossed his arms. "I've just come to realize how he acts."

"I think we all have," Ulrich said and Aelita giggled.

"I think the whole school has," Yumi added on, and the table laughed.

The sound of the cafeteria door opening then sounded but the group didn't pay it any mind. It was probably just more students dispersing; the cafeteria was nearly empty. There was then a presence felt at the table though and the students looked up, almost expecting to see Odd as Jeremy predicted; but it wasn't Odd - it was Principal Delmas.

"Hello children," he greeted solemnly.

"Hello Principal Delmas," Yumi greeted, not catching his tone.

"Could you all come to my office please?" he asked.

They all looked at each other curiously, wondering if anyone had done anything wrong. They stood up and followed him out of the cafeteria.

As soon as they got to the principal's office they stopped in their tracks. Mr. Bubbles was there, standing near Mr. Delmas' desk, his shades were off and he looked tired. The expression he gave them was a mix of pity,stress, and regret. This wasn't the most surprising however. Two police officers stood behind the desk, looking at them with unreadable expressions.

"Come on in," Mr. Delmas urged them as he held the door open.

As the four walked into the room hesitantly, they heard Mr. Delmas shut the door. They looked around, unsure of what was going on. They all had a heavy feeling in their stomachs as they felt the same worry of what they were about to be informed.

"Good evening," the male police officer said as Mr. Delmas sat down heavily in his desk chair. "We've asked you four to come here because we've heard that you have close relations to a student here by the name of Odd DellaRobia."

"Oh no..." Aelita said under her breath as her eyes grew wide.

"What's happened?" Yumi asked urgently.

The female officer cleared her throat and then said, "Please sit. He was supposed to arrive here around six o'clock yesterday. Is that correct?"

"Y-yeah," Ulrich answered. "But he missed the bus and he said he'd be here at eleven instead. What's going on?"

The officers ignored him though as the female wrote down something on a clipboard she was holding. The male officer continued what the female officer had told them before, "According to his sister, Odd was going to use the subway to get to the next bus stop. The problem is, he never got on the train...and he never got on the bus."

The four teenagers sat in their chairs and stared at the officers without speaking. They seemed at loss for words; all of them fearing what they were to hear next.

The officer then took out some photographs from a plastic baggie and placed them on the desk in front of the students. They all didn't want to look but did anyway, fearing what they would see.

One photograph was of Odd's cell phone lying on the ground with a crack in the screen. Another photo was of a concrete sidewalk, shot from a birds-eye-view. The disturbing part of this photograph was that there was blood on the surface.

The four's thoughts were then broken as they heard the officer place vhs tape into a television on a rolling cart. He turned it on and played the tape for them all to see. It appeared to be security footage. They could hear Odd shouting at a man who appeared to be beating on another. They then saw the two of them dart off the screen. The video flashed to another security camera and they saw something silver and shiny fly through the air and hit Odd in the head; falling over, his cell phone flew from his grasp and onto the concrete. They then saw the man seize Odd's head and bring it back down onto the concrete, knocking him out.

The video paused and the officer pointed at the man who had attacked Odd. "There," the male officer said. "Do you know who that is? Does he look familiar to you at all?"

All four of them shook their heads in the stunned silence.

None of them could believe their eyes. They didn't want to believe it. Aelita let out a small whimper and she looked away from the video; she didn't feel like looking at Odd's body lying on the concrete any longer.

"Where is he?" Ulrich then asked somewhat breathlessly.

The room was silent for a few moments before the female officer answered, "We don't know. He is, as of now, missing."

**...**

_"Odd! Would you look at this place!" a woman with long, curly, brunette hair exclaimed. Her hands were clasped in excitement as she viewed the large, stone house before her. She wore a knee-length, white, sun dress; the top was lacy and the bottom flowing. It seemed to glow, along with her face and skin. Her bright, emerald green eyes looked at Odd as he stood next to her. He wore a white t-shirt with denim jeans. His shoes were the tattered ones he wore most often; but even these seemed to glow with the rest of him._

_He too stared up at the house. It was beautiful. The stones were a mix of ivory and gray; the shutters were a dark, oak color; the roof was black and pointed high toward the sky. The large lake is sat in front of could be seen from the front of the house, even through the trees. They walked up to the front door and the woman opened it, revealing a bare, open area._

_Stepping inside, Odd was suddenly alone. The woman was no where to be seen. He hardly paid any mind though as he walked through the empty room. Rays of sunshine were gleaming through the windows, past the flowing white curtains._

_Odd vaguely wondered how the curtains were flowing when there was no wind; but the thought left his mind almost as soon as it had appeared. There was a ray of sunshine beaming from a window high up toward the ceiling. The thick ray of sunlight beamed down on the wood floor; dust could be seen dancing along in the air through the light. Through the sunray, he could see the woman standing out on the back deck._

_Making his way over to her, he walked through the already open back door. The deck was empty as well; the only thing it contained was Odd and the mysterious woman._

_"Look at it, Odd," the woman said as he stood behind her in the doorway. She remained staring out at the large lake. It glittered in the sunlight and gentle waves lapped against the shore. Her smile had faded from her face and she spoke again, "This could be yours as well as mine."_

_Odd stared at her but did not speak. It was almost as though he didn't have the ability to speak._

_"Won't you stay with us, Odd?" she asked as she suddenly turned to him._

_No response._

_"Will you please?" she asked again in a pleading tone._

_Odd just stared at her._

_The woman's body then started to fade into the sunlight. It was almost as though the brightness of the sun was eating her up, taking her away from him. Almost as suddenly as it had begun though, she was no longer there._

_Odd looked around. He was still in a house but no longer the large, nice one from before. The house he was in now was dark and dirty. There were liquor bottles on the table and cigarette butts on the floor._

_The only thing he kept thinking was how desperately he wanted to go back to the other house._

**...**

**...  
**

Confused? You should be. [ :


	31. Chapter 30

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 30**

Aelita lay awake on her bed that night. It was three hours past midnight and she hadn't been able to sleep a wink, not with Odd missing. Especially not with him missing after being attacked by an unknown person. Her red eyes stared up at the ceiling as though it would give her the answer to where Odd could be and who the man was that had attacked him. In reality though, her brain had gone numb. Instead, she just lay, aware of nothing.

After - what was probably hours - staring at the ceiling, she turned her head slowly to look at a group picture of Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremy, and Odd. They were at a coffee shop called CAF and the picture was not posed. They were all talking and laughing with one another; Aelita felt as though she just _had _to take a picture with her bright pink camera. Since then it's been one of her favorite photographs she'd ever possessed. It just made her feel good for some reason.

Her eyes then scanned over to a picture of her and Odd making duck-faces toward the camera. It was only taken a couple days before the holiday break.

How could someone that you just saw a few days ago just disappear?

Aelita couldn't make any sense of it and she no longer wished to. She just hoped that he would show up tomorrow and explain what had happened. Perhaps he'd have a few scrapes and bruises but he would be okay.

At least the police officers didn't say he was dead; but if he had been attacked and hadn't been seen for almost twenty-four hours, where could he be then?

STOP IT. Aelita forced those thoughts away angrily and upset. There was no way he was dead. He would show up again and they would continue where they left off.

He had to come back. She didn't know what she would do if he didn't.

**...**

Ulrich lay awake on his bed. He knew for a fact that the others weren't sleeping either. They had all shared a few texts but had stopped about an hour ago. Ulrich almost wanted sleeped to come just so he wouldn't have to deal with the anxiety of not knowing where his best friend was. That wish was then shut down though as he wanted to stay awake - almost as though he would have felt guilty if he had gone to sleep.

Where could Odd be? What if he was laying somewhere hurt and unable to get help? Or what if he was- NO.

Ulrich closed his eyes shut tightly. He refused to think that. There's no way that Odd would let anyone take him out.

**...**

Jeremy sat on his floor, leaning against his bed. Looking out the window, he saw the bright full moon up in the night sky. He wondered if Odd was looking at the same moon at that moment.

The same thought kept inching it's way into his mind like a pestering bully...

How could he be looking at it if he was dead?

Jeremy shook his head and looked away at the other side of the room. He could imagine Odd's still body lying in the dirt somewhere, looking up at the sky with lifeless eyes; the moon would be reflecting off of the glassy, dead surface...

Jeremy pounded his head with his own fist to try and force this image away.

For once, he wanted his thoughts to just stop.

**...**

Yumi sat at the kitchen table. Hiroki was already in bed when Yumi got home around ten o'clock. The school had called her parents already to let them know that she would be home late. They only asked a couple questions before deciding they should leave their troubled daughter alone.

At first, Yumi had gone to her room to be alone. The photographs of her friends - Odd included - were just too much to bare. It was painful to look at them. The thought that she knew was running through her friends' minds kept barging into hers. Whenever it showed up though, she mentally shoved it away.

The mug of tea she had her hands clasped loosely around was warm and soothing. The image of Mr. Bubbles worried and stressed face kept popping into her head. She had never seen him look so concerned and so...regretful. It was almost as if he was fearing the worst just like the rest of them.

Thinking about Adelle and Bobby, Yumi couldn't even imagine what they were doing at that moment. After seeing the way that they had hugged Odd and visibly showed their love of him, she expected them to be staying awake and waiting by the phone; waiting for word on where their younger sibling could have gone.

Yumi's thoughts then went to Hallie. She wondered if anyone had told her that her uncle was missing. It was far too difficult to think about so she shut that down as well.

"Yumi?" a voice from behind her said and Yumi perked up and turn around.

Hiroki was standing in the doorway with his pajama shorts and a comic book t-shirt on. He was rubbing sleep from his eyes as he asked, "Why are you still up?"

"No reason, Hiroki," Yumi answered dismissively. "What are you doing up?"

"Getting some water," he answered as he walked over to the cabinet and grabbed a cup. Filling it up at the sink, Yumi watched him in a strange new light.

What would she do if Hiroki went missing? What would her parents do? Yumi could hardly bare to think about it.

"Yumi?" Hiroki asked as he looked at her strangely. "Why are you staring at me?"

Yumi looked away quickly and said, "Oh. Uh, no reason."

Hiroki continued staring at her curiously and then asked, "Have you been crying?"

"What? No." It's true that she hadn't. Though, she wasn't surprised that her eyes were blood shot. Yumi didn't cry. If she ever felt tears coming, she forced them to stay in.

"Did something bad happen?" Hiroki asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it, just go to bed," Yumi answered as she looked back down at her tea.

**...**

This wasn't real. None of this was real. This body didn't feel real.

The only thing that felt real was pain. The pain was all over his body as though he had been hit by a truck. As Odd opened his eyes, the view of the moon greeted him. Or at least, he opened one eye. The other one wouldn't open because it had swelled shut.

Whatever he had been beaten with had done a good job of leaving him to the point of being unable to move. Whatever is was, it had made pain course through his body in great waves.

Odd's glassy eye, dull eye looked up at the moon. The stars joined the great orb in the sky. There were stars beyond stars, and they made the sky glitter beautifully. The view was a slight distraction.

The pain was accompanied by numbness. It was a good thing there was only a frosting on the ground. Odd also noticed that he was underneath a tree, this meant that there was even less frost where he lay. Though, it was still very cold out. The hand that lay across his abdomen was warmer than the one laying off to his side; this one had gone numb along with his feet and face. He was a mix of numbness and pain, which was partly what made him think this wasn't real. It was as though he were in a dream. But no, if he were in a dream, he would be back at the large lake house. He wouldn't be here.

Wherever "here" was though, Odd did not know.

Gathering up enough energy and will power, Odd turned his head to the side with a quiet grunt of pain. From what he could see, "here" was in the middle of no where. The only things in his sight were a couple trees, grass, and dirt. There was no civilization around.

Odd turned his head back to the sky and his eyes met the moon and stars again. This view was more comforting than the emptiness that he lay in.

After however long laying there, Odd decided to attempt getting up. Perhaps civilization wasn't as far as he thought? Just as he tried sitting up though, a small cry of pain came from his mouth.

Collapsing back down on the ground in defeat, Odd panted from the extreme pain. He then made the decision to not look down at his body. What was the point? He already knew something was wrong with it, he could deffinetly feel it.

The pain turned to a pulsating ache and he could feel himself drifting again. His view of the moon and stars was fading from his vision as he slowly lost conciousness.

**...**

**...**

****I should be working on re-writing the other chapters soon! They need revising badly.


	32. Chapter 31

_abcd_=dream

abcd=normal

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 31**

The cafeteria was buzzing with the usual morning chatter. Everyone appeared to be acting normal except for Ulrich, Jeremy, and Aelita. They sat quietly at the table. They hadn't even bothered grabbing food because they knew they weren't going to eat it.

Classes went by in a haze for all of them. The teachers didn't snap at them, for they knew why they weren't focusing. On the intercom during their third class of the day, an announcement rang out.

"All male basketball players need to report to the gymnasium immediately for an emergency meeting," a woman's voice rang through the speakers. "I repeat, all male basketball players report to the gymnasium immediately for an emergency meeting. Thank you."

No one paid much mind to the announcement, especially not in Ulrich, Aelita, and Jeremy's class. There were no basketball players in there. The only one that had been in there was Odd. But he wasn't there.

During lunch, they all had trays of untouched food in front of them. Jeremy, being wise as usual, instructed them all to get food.

This was true. They all took some bites of their food before leaving it to get cold on the trays. Even Jeremy, who loved brussel sprouts, didn't finish. When lunch was half over, the four saw someone walk up next to their table.

"Hey guys," Lance greeted them.

They all looked at him and noticed that he was standing with some other members of the basketball team. None of them were holding trays, perhaps signalling he had just arrived in the cafeteria. Ulrich then felt a sudden dread hit him as he realized who he was about to ask them about.

"Have you heard any news from Odd? At all?" Lance asked desperately.

"No," Ulrich answered.

"You have no clue where he could be?" another kid behind him asked.

Yumi shook her head and answered, "I wish we did."

"But-"

"Trust us, we wish we knew something. _Anything_," Aelita said. She then added the last part sadly, "But we don't..."

**...**

_"This water feels great!" the woman with the long, curly, brunette hair exclaimed as she stepped into the lake water._

_She still wore the white sun dress. Her skin glowed perfectly in the warm sun. As she spun around in the water, she laughed gleefully; the water was up to her knees and it rippled as she moved. Odd wore a white t-shirt again with his denim jeans. He stood just away from the water for it not to touch him._

_The lake was a beautiful green-blue color. The dock had no boat, but sat sturdy and awaiting anyone to walk on it. The grass under Odd's feet was an incredible green, clearly showing off how well watered it was._

_Odd saw that the woman was looking at him. Her smile contained gleaming white teeth._

_"Won't you come into the water? It feels wonderful," she said as she held up her dress skirt._

_The water rippled around his ankles; the jean legs were rolled up so they wouldn't get wet. The water did feel lovely on his skin; it was so clear too. Odd looked back up at the woman and she was smiling at him still._

_"Won't you stay with us, Odd?" she asked. "We really wish you would."_

_Odd didn't answer as he stood in the water, further away from the lady than he wished to be. But he didn't move any forward or speak at all._

_"You could be in this water all you wanted if you stayed," she offered kindly. "Please stay."_

_Again, he did not respond._

_The woman then cupped some water in her hands and splashed it on him playfully._

**...**

Odd awoke to the evening sun slipping low on the horizon. His eyes opened slowly as he barely felt the drops of melted frost dripping from the tree branches. The sky was a mix of pink and orange; the glow from the falling sun reflected on Odd's glassy eyes. At least he could open his other eye a little bit more, but only barely.

Why couldn't he have gone back to the perfect world he was just in? The dream was so wonderful. Everytime the dream came, he was in no pain, no sadness, no nothing it seemed. Just in bliss and happiness. It was almost teasing how it kept coming and going.

Odd vaguely wondered what the others must be thinking. He wondered if they were curious as to where he was. He didn't even hardly know where he was; nor could he remember what happened in the first place. The only memory of it was a man chasing him and then another person joining on the attack.

As the sun set lower in the sky, Odd faded in and out of conciousness. His breathing was ragged as his eyes were barely open and staring at the sky. His vision continued going blurry. The sounds of birds chirping was in his ears as he lay on the ground staring at the clouds.

**...**

Night had fallen on Kadic Academy. The town was buzzing with energy at the late hour from what Aelita could hear. She sat on the grass under a tree, looking up at the stars. There was a vague reminder in her head that if she was caught, there would be trouble; but she could care less.

A wind blew by that ruffled her hair gently against her forehead; it also tickled the side of her face, indicating that she needed to get her hair cut. Aelita remembered Odd asking her to the dance, and she imagined the fun they would have. It cheered her up in a way, thinking about it.

After she went into her dorm room, she collapsed onto the bed and she closed her eyes. She could feel tears burning to get out; but just as this feeling came to her, her eyes shot open. A thought suddenly occurred to her and she sat up in bed quickly, a memory suddenly coming to her.

_"You're really pretty. Beautiful actually." He slurred as he leaned closer to her._

_Aelita scooted over down the couch a little more, but was stopped as he put a hand on her leg. ""Um, I have to go to the bathroom!" she said and she shot up off the couch and went down yet another dark and neon colored hallway. But she was stopped as someone grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall._

_"No! Get off!" Aelita said as she tried scooting away more._

_"Come on baby. Don't you wanna-" his slurred words were cut off by someone behind them._

_"I think she said no."_

_Looking up, Aelita was thrilled to see Odd standing there, the boy leaning against her however, was not. He at first, couldn't tell who it was, but then realization came over his face. "Oh, it's you."_

_"Get your hand off of her." He said in a dangerous tone. His eyes flaring with a fury that Aelita had never seen before._

_Letting go of Aelita's arm, he walked threateningly over to Odd._

_Facing each other, their faces each had an expression of loathing and strong dislike. Their glares shot daggers right into the others'. Aelita stayed in the corner, if there was going to be a fight, she didn't want the first punch to hit her._

_"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here again." The drunk teenager said. "I thought I would never have to look at you ever again._

"Ron..." Aelita said breathlessly to herself as her eyes widened.

**...**

Jeremy heard someone knocking on his door, waking him from his restless night's sleep. He stood up, opened the door and Aelita barged in.

"Aelita! What are you-"

"Ron-he-"

"Ron?" Jeremy questioned. "What about him?"

"Oh Jeremy! What if it was him?" Aelita asked urgently, panic on her face.

"Come on..." Jeremy took her hand and led her out of the room.

After going to Ulrich's dorm, they all three discussed what they were to do. Mr. Delmas was no longer there at the late hour, and they didn't have Mr. Bubbles' number. They decided eventually to walk to the police station themselves. The only thing was, they had to be sneaky. Ulrich put some sweat pants on over his boxers and pulled on an olive-green sweat shirt. Aelita grabbed one of Odd's sweatshirts; it was plain grey, and it still smelt like him. As they made their way down the hall, Jeremy stopped in his room to grab a sweatshirt as well.

They then made their way out into the cold night air. They all remembered doing this when it was still warm out. Making it safely into town with no interruptions, they stepped onto the sidewalk and blended in with the others wandering around on the sidewalks.

"Do either of you know where the police station is?" Ulrich asked and they both shook their heads.

"Should we go get Yumi?" Jeremy asked.

"No way, her parents would probably be able to hear us," Ulrich answered. "And if she got caught, she'd be in serious trouble."

"Well what if we-" Aelita started, but she then stopped as she spotted someone ahead of them.

"Aelita? What is it?" Ulrich asked and followed her line of vision.

Aelita then took off running down the sidewalk, causing people to leap back out of her way.

"Aelita! Wait!" Ulrich called after her as he took off as well, Jeremy trailing behind him apologizing to the strangers they were shoving out of the way.

She ignored her two friends calling after her as she kept her eyes on the target. Then, with a fury she didn't even know she had, she rammed her hands forward into a boy standing outside of a shop. He gave out a cry of surprise as he toppled backwards, almost losing his footing. Aelita gathered his shirt collar up in her fist and stared up at him threateningly. If the situation wasn't so serious, it would have been comical seeing a little pink-haired girl bullying a larger boy.

"Aelita! What are you doing!" Jeremy exclaimed as he saw her shove the kid into an alleyway.

"WHERE IS HE?" Aelita demanded at Ron as he stared at her, looking rather frightened.

"I-I don't-"

"WHERE?" She demanded again.

"I don't know who you're talking about!" Ron tried reasoning but she then slapped him across the face. "Ow!" he exclaimed.

"You have beef with Odd, I know it! And now he's missing! I want to know what you did with him!" she shouted.

Ron just stared at her. Ulrich and Jeremy hung back, awaiting his answer to her accusation. Aelita glared daggers at him, waiting for him to admit where Odd was. Then, just when Aelita was about to shout at him again, Ron sighed.

"Look...I-" he expression was that of pain; and it wasn't because of the welt from Aelita's slap, it was something else.

"You what?" Ulrich asked warily as he stepped forward.

"I-I...something happened and I-"

"Hey!" a voice said from the alleyway entrance. "Aren't you kids from Kadic?"

They all turned to see the female police officer that had been at the school. She shined a flashlight in on them and Aelita, realizing her hands were still on Ron's collar, brought them down immediately.

**...**

"Now, tell me again why you were out?" the police officer said as she sat at her desk.

"He did something with Odd!" Aelita pointed an accusing finger at Ron, who stood in the corner not speaking.

"How do you know-"

"He started to tell us something but-"

"Guys," Ron said suddenly from the corner and all eyes turned to him. "You don't have to keep accusing me of anything."

The police officer then stood up from the seat at her desk and looked at him. "Kid, what did you do?"

Ron's lip quivered again and he looked up at her with watery eyes. "We-we took him and-and we beat him. It all happend in a blur...I..." he then stopped, seeming unable to continue.

"Tell me what happened," the officer demanded.

Ron then took a deep breath and looked at her and then at Ulrich, Aelita, and Jeremy. Then, looking back at the officer, he took another deep breath and began telling them what had happened.

**...**


	33. Chapter 33

Of course this story isn't dead my sillies! Be prepared for some sadness though.

ENJOY.

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 33**

40 Hours Ago

Odd woke up to warm liquid splashing on his face. There wasn't much of an attempt to wipe it off though as he felt sore all over as though he had just fallen off of a two-story house. There was a severe pain in his left arm and right leg that made him wince and clench his eyes tight, mentally willing the pain to go away.

He then heard the chuckling from above him and he looked up, though the beer that the man had spilled on him stung his eyes.

"My, my," the man in the black hoodie said. "It appears our little capture is awake and still breathing."

"Well all we did was kick him out of a moving truck," another voice said that sounded familiar. There wasn't much time to ponder on the mysterious voice though before he came around and leaned close to Odd's face. "Hey there friend. Remember me?"

Odd merely stared at him for a moment, trying to get past his foggy, pain-filled mind. "What-what are you doing Ron?" he finally asked breathlessly.

"Having a good time. What's it look like?" he asked as he smiled creepishly at him.

Odd then saw that he had white, powdery specks under his nose - indicating that he had shoved a ton of cocaine up his nostrils. There was also the smell of alcohol on his breath.

"Ron...Ron you're not thinking clearly-" Odd tried to reason.

"Don't you try and tell me what to do!" the older boy shouted at him as he kicked him hard in the gut.

Odd coughed at the force inflicted on his abdomen and waited for the ache to pass. Something soon distracted him from it though as he felt a hard object hit him on his already injured leg. The blonde barely had time to let out a cry of pain before the other blows hit him over, and over, and over again. The sound of the metal pipe hitting his body among the mix of other sounds. All he could hear was the cackling and chanting of the older drunken guys. All he could smell was the beer breath, blood, and sweat.

After however many minutes of beating with the metal pipe, Odd was already in such a daze he could hardly make any noise of protest against the objects hitting his body. From empty beer cans to full ones and glass bottles to rocks, they all hit his body with enough force to break the skin. Just as he was about to pass out from the intense pain, more liquid was poured on him, making him wake up a bit more though not much.

As Odd lay on his stomach and liquid dripped down his face, he looked out with blurred vision to see if there was any chance of anyone saving him. There was no one but him and his two attackers. This realization deffinetly hit as another kick went to his stomach.

There was more chuckling before the two older guys spit on him. Then, feeling as though the deed was done, went over to the truck and got in.

Odd could vaguely process anything as his vision blurred. He did vaguely hear the larger man walk over to him and hear him growl something in his ear and then kicked him once last time in the head, knocking him out. Then, he stomped over to the truck, got in, and it pulled away. Leaving Odd to die underneath a tree.

...

Aelita, Ulrich, and Jeremy were livid as they stared at Ron. By the time he was finished telling them what had happened he was in tears. As the salty drops leaked from his eyes and down his face he said, "He didn't even have a chance to fight back...we showed no mercy..."

The police officer stood up immediately and opened the door to her office and called out to her partner across the room.

"Odd tried reasoning with me...telling me I wasn't thinking right..." Ron sobbed. "It was the coke and alcohol! I would have never killed him ever!"

The male officer then came into the room and put his face low to Ron's. He began asking him where they had dropped Odd off at and he continued answering that he didn't remember.

Ulrich, Aelita, and Jeremy stood up to leave the office in a daze after the officer told them to stand up and leave the room. But all of a sudden, Ulrich stopped, ignoring the officer as she insisted that he leave so she could continue questioning with her partner.

"You're lying," he stated coldly and dangerously as Ron.

The boy looked up at him with blood shot eyes and blubbered, "Wh-what?"

"I said, you're lying," Ulrich stated, stepping closer.

The officer stopped him though, insisting something along the lines of him not knowing the effects of cocaine and what it can do to the brain. He could feel Yumi gripping his shoulder and saying, "Ulrich, come on."

"No! He-" Ulrich protested.

"Ulrich! The police are telling us to-" Yumi tried reasoning but Ulrich interrupted.

"I don't care!" he broke out of Yumi's grip and stormed forward. "You know who you were with last night! I know you don't forget the man's name or what he looks like!"

"I-I," Ron stuttered.

"Son!" the officer said, placing a hand on Ulrich's shoulder and pulling him away from the crying boy. "It's time for you to go! This isn't helping! We can't find your friend if you don't-"

"I-I can show him to you," Ron stuttered quietly and the officer turned and Ulrich quit struggling.

"What?" the officer asked. "What do you-"

"I can show you the guy," Ron said again, only louder this time. The officer was about to say more but he interrupted her, "But please don't let him know! If he knew then-then-"

"Woah, woah, relax!" the officer said. "We won't let anyone hurt you."

Ron stared at her for a few moments, as though making sure that she wasn't lying before telling her where she needed to go.

**…**

Odd awoke as the sun barely started coming up on the horizon. It shone on his eyes that were open only barely. It was still too dark to see clearly, but Odd knew that this wasn't the reason he couldn't see right. He was dying. His time had come. It had finally come.

After years of doing dangerous antics, and drug and alcohol abuse, he was going to die from none of these reasons. Instead he was going to be a murder victim. He was probably already believed to be so. There was no telling how long he'd been there, but it felt like ages of just slipping in and out of consciousness.

His body was numb yet cold at the same time. He hadn't even tried moving since the last time, however long ago that was.

As Odd lay on the ground, awaiting his final breath, he thought about his life. All that he'd done, from the things he regretted to the things he didn't. There were stories that no one, not even Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy had heard; people that they had never been told about; stories that will now never be told because they only exist in his memory. Not only will he die today, but these stories will die with him.

Odd remembered thinking to himself once about what he hoped to have before he died; and that was love.

One of the single things he had hoped for was the type of love you only heard about in movies and romance novels. The thought was so sappy that he never told anyone, for it would ruin the image that he'd tried so hard to portray himself as.

His thoughts automatically went to Aelita. Out of all of the girlfriends he'd ever had, she was the one that meant the most. Even though she wasn't his girlfriend, he'd wanted to ask her for such a long time. She was the one he'd ever loved the most. Now, he'd never be able to tell her. But, perhaps it was better this way, that may make his death easier for her. It won't cause her to feel guilty if she ever dated anyone else, because he knew she would since that's just her personality.

Odd's thoughts then went to the others. Ulrich, he imagined that he would be angry when he found out that he'd died, but would not let his sadness come through in front of the others. Yumi would try and stay strong but would get angry and sad as well. Jeremy would bow his head and frown deeply.

It was in that moment, as the sun rose on the horizon more, that Odd realized that they were the closest thing he'd come to a full family for a long time. Sure, they had had their ups and downs, but they were still tightly bound by something. That something, Odd wasn't sure.

As he heard their laughter and voices echoing through his head, he felt at peace. Of course, he would miss them terribly; but as his eyes became even more blurry, he felt his body relax even more so and could feel himself drifting. Only this time, it wasn't into unconsciousness.

At least he'd be able to see the sunrise on his last day alive. The colors blurred together as his vision slowly fizzled out. Through the soft rustling of the trees in the light breeze, he could hear vague sirens and could barely make out the flashing colors of the ambulance and police lights.

The sound of steps running toward him could be heard, but they sounded as though he was hearing them from under water. Faint shouting could be heard but he couldn't see who or where they were coming from.

"Odd!" Ulrich shouted and then collapsed on the ground beside him. He hesitated at the horrible sight of him. At the strange angle his right leg and left arm were; the way blood was caked on nearly all of his features; how red stained his once blonde and purple hair; how his lips were blue and his skin was pale. The way his eyes were open and unseeing.

"Odd, Odd, can you hear me?" Ulrich said desperately. "Odd, come on, answer me! Say something, anything!"

The boy didn't respond though. What did Ulrich expect, for him to jump up and tell him to "chill out bro"? In fact, he wasn't sure what he was expecting when he arrived there.

He could hear the fast steps of the adults behind him; he had jumped out of the police car before it had even come to a complete stop. Out of all of them, Yumi, Jeremy, and Aelita had let Ulrich go with the police officer to find Odd.

"Odd, Odd, answer me please!" Ulrich tried again, shaking his friend's lifeless form. Growing even more desperate for him to wake up, he gripped Odd's cold, bloody hand and clasped it in his own warm ones.

"Quit messing around, Odd. S'not funny…" Ulrich's voice drained out in a small sob as he bowed his head on his friend's hand. He shook for a moment as the medics gathered around and someone tried prying him away, but Ulrich wouldn't let go. His head then shot up and he shouted at his still lifeless friend, "You can't just come into our lives, make us care, then just leave!"

Odd still remained unresponsive, and his eyes still stayed lifeless and glassy.

Ulrich was finally pried away as his grip slackened when realization hit him. He wasn't going to answer. Never again will he hear a quirky remark from him; never again will he see him in his dorm room; never again will he sit at their lunch table. He was gone.

Ulrich watched in horror and sadness as one of the medics checked for a pulse, waited, and then shook his head.

Even though he knew his friend was dead, he followed them numbly to the ambulance as they loaded him up into it. Ulrich watched as they attempted shock paddles on him, but knew that they wouldn't work after the second try. Ulrich watched hopelessly as Odd's body shot up limply from the bed in the ambulance until he was led away by strong arms.

When he looked up with tears flooding down his face, he saw Mr. Bubbles staring down at him. His sunglasses were off and he looked him in the eyes with more expression than he'd ever seen on the large man's face. It was that of great sadness, remorse, and grief. Ulrich felt the pressure on his back and before he realized it, he'd buried his face in the man's side and sobbed like he'd never sobbed before.

It was the first time he'd cried in such a long time, and Mr. Bubbles let him. He let Ulrich's tears soak into his black jacket. After all, he was the one that edged him closer so he could. Ulrich had unconsciously taken up on the offer.

The police officers that weren't taping off the area, watched with great sorrow at the scene.

And as the sun rose even more so over the horizon, the lights of the ambulance and police vehicles, still flashed on the surrounding trees.

**…**

...

Don't worry! Any questions should be answered in the next chapter!


	34. Chapter 34

I apologize for not updating this until now! I am very, very sorry! I have just been busy with…you know…stuff.

I hope this chapter makes up for my absence ;(

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 34**

The car ride back to the police station was long and silent. Ulrich sat in the passenger seat, and as he stared out the window, he could not erase the image of Odd's eyes open and glassy, staring at the sky.

How long had he been there waiting?

Did he ever wonder why no one was coming to save him?

What were his final thoughts?

Ulrich closed his eyes tightly as more tears squeezed out between his eyelids. His elbow was resting on the door as his wrist pressed into his eye, the tears moving past it and flowing down his face like salty rivers. His other hand was gripping his pants so tightly, one would wonder if a crowbar would be needed to loosen his fingers from the fabric.

Mr. Bubbles had his eyes on the road. He had not looked at Ulrich since they had gotten into the vehicle. The car halted at a stop light.

"I am sorry," he said in his usual deep tone, though, this time, it was drenched in a type of sympathy Ulrich had never heard anyone use toward him before. "Truly, I am."

Ulrich said nothing as the light turned green and the car pulled forward through the intersection**.**

**…**

Mr. Bubbles and Ulrich were once again at a stop light when Mr. Bubbles received a phone call.

"Hello?"

There were a few moments of silence until Ulrich heard him say, "W-what? Are-are you sure? Of course, we'll be there right away!"

Ulrich jolted forward as Mr. Bubbles sped forward through the freshly-turned green light.

"Sorry, Ulrich," he apologized.

What he said next was unexpected; there was no preparation given.

"Odd is alive."

Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy sat in the waiting room at the hospital. Jeremy was pacing, Aelita was sitting and wringing her hands, and Yumi was standing against the wall with her arms crossed. No one had spoken for a while.

Yumi had texted Ulrich, but gotten no response. She was tapping her foot on the floor unconsciously as she waited for a doctor to come out and give them any type of news. They were all three waiting anxiously, dreading what they may hear.

Jeremy stopped pacing as he heard someone rushing down the hall toward the room. It wasn't from the direction of the emergency room though; instead it was from the direction of the elevator. Yumi turned her head as well and she got up off the wall when she saw Ulrich.

"Ulrich!" she cried.

"How is he?"

"He's still in surgery," Jeremy said. "Where have you been?"

Aelita was now standing and she gasped when she saw Ulrich's hands. "Ulrich, you're bleeding!"

Ulrich let out a strangled noise and said, "S'not mine."

The three looked at him strangely before he fell to his knees. His friends called his name fearfully as they bent down. Ulrich could feel Jeremy's hand on his shoulder as he asked what was wrong.

"Odd…" Ulrich said as his knuckles turned white from him clenching his fists so hard. "He-he was d-dead when we found him. His eyes were j-just staring…staring at the sky…so much blood…"

Their eyes widened and Ulrich let out a sob. Yumi wrapped him in a hug as tears fell from her own eyes. Aelita had her hand over her mouth and Jeremy hugged her as well.

...

An hour had passed with still no news on Odd. Principal Delmas has sent Gym to tell the four friends that they had his permission to miss school for the day.

Every single one of them had bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. They looked up when they heard quick footsteps. Adelle and Bobby hurried into the room with panicked and stressed expressions.

"Wh-where is he? H-how is he?" Adelle asked breathlessly.

"He's been in surgery for a few hours," Jeremy answered.

The two siblings looked as though they wanted more information, so Ulrich said, "We haven't been told anything."

He chose to omit the fact that Odd had actually died and come back to life miraculously. If this had been shared, it is likely that Adelle would have collapsed.

A doctor wearing scrubs walked into the room about thirty minutes later, and everyone immediately stood.

"Family?" he questioned.

Ulrich, Yumi, Aelita, and Jeremy were about to deny, but Bobby said, "Yes. Yes we are."

The doctor had noticed the urgency in his voice and did not contain the information any longer.

"He is alive. I am not completely sure how he managed to survive, but he did. He was out in the cold for two days with no food or water, and hardly enough warmth. Miraculously, though, he is alive."

There was a moment of silence before he continued, "There are several injuries. His zygomatic bone is cracked and he has an orbital fracture. Since he has had this injury for a couple days and it hasn't been treated, it is likely that he will be blind in his left eye; we cannot be sure if it is permanent, however. His right tibia is broken, and he has a broken collar bone. Thankfully, his spine was not injured. I say this, because I am assuming he took a fall out of a moving vehicle. I have seen similar injuries with these types of situations."

The doctor paused, allowing the information to sink in before he continued again, "His left arm was exposed to the cold for too long along with the moisture from the snow. A bone shard was sticking through his elbow, allowing bacteria to make its way inside. The infection had already killed his arm and if he hadn't done anything soon, the infection would have traveled to the rest of his body."

There was another small paused as all six waited with bated breath.

"We had to amputate his left arm to stop the infection from reaching the rest of his body."

Their eyes widened and Adelle put a hand to her mouth as she let out a pained squeak and backed away.

"I am very sorry," the doctor said sympathetically.

All four friends backed numbly into chairs as Adelle and Bobby were led to their little brother's room. Some time later, the two siblings voices were heard discussing. As Ulrich and the other began walking down the hallway, he felt Odd's sister grip his shoulder comfortingly.

Bobby punched the wall and let out shouts of anger. Adelle went and gripped his shoulder soothingly, but Bobby walked out of her grip and ran his hands through his hair. He was angry about what had happened to his little brother; furious that he hadn't been able to stop it. When Ulrich walked into Odd's hospital room, he could see just why Bobby had acted in such a way.

Aelita's breath hitched in her throat at the sight of one of her best friends.

Odd had needles and tubes sticking out of his right arm. Bags of fluid were hanging and allowing access into his veins. He was hooked up to a ventilator since he was not able to breathe on his own. There was an endotracheal tube down his throat. The machine made a mechanical gasping noise every time Odd "breathed." There was a thick, cotton patch over his left eye; the bruise that protruded from underneath was a dark purple and sickly yellow color. There was an ugly incision line and metal marking where the plate was screwed into his left collar bone. His leg was covered in plaster and placed gingerly on pillows outside the blankets. Bandages were wrapped thickly where his left arm was cut off halfway below his shoulder.

No one said anything as Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremy, and Aelita collapsed into chairs beside the bed. Aelita was on his right side and she carefully lifted his hand into her own.

The only comfort in the room was the beating on a monitor off to the side next to the ventilator machine, showing that Odd was alive.

"You are such an asshole, man," Ulrich said suddenly.

Everyone looked at him curiously before he continued, "You made us worry like crazy and now you're here. You. The one who-who could threaten someone with a mere glance if you wanted to."

There was a moment of silence before Ulrich said, "Just…please be okay."

**…**

aljsdfajldsfjaljd! Update coming soon!


	35. Chapter 35

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 35**

It had been a week that Odd had been in the hospital. Aelita, Ulrich, and Jeremy sat in the same class, but none of them appeared to be listening. Ulrich was looking out the window and Aelita was scribbling on a piece of paper. Jeremy tried listening, but even he couldn't keep his attention on the lesson.

It was the third week of the new semester, and there was a test in a couple of days. Therefore, it was crucial that they paid attention unless he wanted tutoring. No matter how hard Jeremy tried, however, he could not seem to stay focused.

Odd was not in the classroom with them. He kept expecting to turn and see him in his usual seat beside Ulrich, but he was never there. It was eerie; almost like a ghost was in the room. Sure, Odd had only been their friend for almost a whole school year, but he had become one with their group.

Jeremy was confused with himself. He thought he didn't like the kid. Jeremy backtracked in his thoughts; no, he _did _like him. It was just that he needed more time to get used to him. He was so different than who he normally hung out with. It was also strange having an addition to the group. The two of them had had so many problems this year though. Who was to blame for their issues?

The blonde sighed and pinched the skin between his thumb and forefinger.

"Jeremy?" Mrs. Hertz questioned.

Jeremy looked up and saw that Mrs. Hertz and the rest of the room were staring at him.

"Um…what?" he asked lamely.

"I've said your name a good three times," Mrs. Hertz said, staring at him over her glasses.

"Oh…uh…sorry Mrs. Hertz. What was the question?" Jeremy asked.

Mrs. Hertz noted the dark circles underneath the boy's eyes and she straightened up and said, "Why don't you go to the nurse's office. You don't look so good."

Jeremy was about to deny the offer, but he closed his mouth and stood up.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hertz."

Ulrich and Aelita watched him leave the room and then looked at each other with concerned expressions. Jeremy must _really _not feel good in order for him to leave class.

**…**

Jeremy did not go to the Nurse Yolanda. Instead, he was walking through town on his way to the hospital. It was not like him at all to ignore a teacher's orders, but he couldn't help it.

When he walked into the hospital, he gave the name of the patient and they allowed him access. Bobby and Adelle were sitting outside of Odd's room when he arrived. They looked at him and Adelle softly said, "Some friends are in there right now. Want me to let them know that your-"

Jeremy waved his hand and said, "No, no, it's fine."

He did not have to wait long; the door to the room opened and some kids he recognized began filing out with solemn expressions.

A girl walked out wearing black Converses, skinny jeans and a hoodie.

_"Who's Samantha?" Aelita asked curiously._

_"Just a friend from back in Greenville." Odd answered simply as he typed something else into the laptop._

_Yumi and Ulrich both sat down then. "Just a friend?" Ulrich questioned._

_Aelita looked eagerly at him, awaiting his answer._

_"Just a friend." Odd agreed._

_Ulrich continued looking over at the screen as his friend typed away on the keyboard. "You're planning on meeting her tomorrow at eight?"_

_At this, Odd turned to him. "Will you stop inserting yourself into my conversation?"_

Samantha wiped her eyes as a boy put an arm around her shoulder. Jeremy recognized him as well along with the kid filing after them.

_"Hey, hey!" a kid called out the window of the car said through the open window of the passenger seat._

_Odd's face broke out in a huge grin as the kid, along with others, came out of the car and came over to him._

_They all slapped hands and gave brotherly hugs while Yumi, Aelita, Ulrich, and Jeremy stood awkwardly, wondering what they were doing there._

_"Haven't seen you in forever!" the kid with dreadlocks said, "How you been brother?"_

_"Fine," Odd answered, "You?"_

_"Hey Odd, who they?" another kid said. He gestured to the group of four watching them._

_"Oh, sorry," Odd said, "These are my friends from Kadic. Yumi, Ulrich, and Aelita…and Jeremy."_

_Jeremy looked up at the mention of his name. He saw Odd give him a grin and then he spoke to the others, "Sorry guys, I have to get going. I'm staying at Tommy's for the Break." He gestured to the one with dreadlocks, "I can introduce if you ever see each other again." Odd said._

After these three, there were other teenagers that followed; only, them, Jeremy did not recognize.

Jeremy stood up from his seat after about ten people left the room. He walked inside, but stopped when he saw someone placing a picture frame on the bedside table. Jeremy was about to back out, feeling rude that he was intruding, when the boy turned around.

The boy looked to be in the same grade. He wore a red and blue, plaid, button-up shirt and black jeans with, what appeared to be, black snow boots. There was a bull ring in his nose along with gauges in his ears. His hair was clean cut and brunette.

"I-I'm sorry…I'll just leave until-" Jeremy said.

"No, no! It's fine. I'm just putting up this frame right here," he said as he straightened it on the bedside table. His voice was quite feminine. "I've been holding onto this picture until I would see him again. I found it in his bedroom a little while back."

Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows and Tommy gave a small laugh and said, "Don't worry, I didn't break in. I have a key. I was going in to pick up something I thought I had left there years ago and instead, I found this." He gestured to the picture frame. "I'm assuming you're a friend of his from Kadic Academy? That's where he's going nowadays right?"

"Yeah," Jeremy replied. "Who are you?"

"Tommy," the boy answered with a small smile. "Been friends with Odd for quite a few years now. Since we were five actually."

Tommy looked down at Odd and he frowned deeply as he bent down and placed his hand on top of his friends'.

Jeremy could tell that Tommy did not want to express sadness in front of him, so Jeremy turned away and began looking at the balloons and flowers that people had left by the windows.

Jeremy could hear Tommy speaking softly as well as quiet clattering.

"Fly the ocean in a silver plane. See the jungle when it's wet with rain. Just remember 'till you're home again, you belong to me."

Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows and turned around just as Tommy said, "There."

He grinned at the framed poster leaning against the wall beside the bed. It was a sepia color with black lettering.

"Ain't it cool? I worked on it all night," Tommy asked Jeremy. "It was his favorite song when he was little."

Jeremy gave a small grin and agreed. He then cleared his throat, feeling a tad awkward and said, "So, uh, are you two close?"

"Not like we used to be, but we still talk. You know, he was there for me through rough times and I was there for him. Anyway, I have to get home so I can catch up on whatever school work I've missed over the past two days," Tommy rolled his eyes at this and Jeremy gave a small laugh, not being the one to think that missing school was ever funny. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

Tommy walked out and closed the door. Jeremy sat down beside the bed and looked at the picture frame that was now sitting on the bedside table along with others. One frame contained a photograph of Odd holding Hallie in the snow; neither of them looked any older or any younger, so Jeremy assumed it was taken over the recent break. Another frame held a photograph of Odd with his other friends, such as Samantha, Tommy, and others. Jeremy's eyes finally scanned over to the photo that Tommy had left.

There was a woman with long, curly, brunette hair along with a man with blonde hair. They were both leaning down beside a five-year-old boy who looked around the age of six. All three of them were smiling happily in the sun. The little boy appeared to be Odd; he could tell from the purple spot on his hair and features on his face that had remained somewhat the same over the years. Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed that neither the woman nor man looked much like Odd.

Jeremy leaned back in his chair and looked at Odd, who was still on a ventilator and still hadn't woken up. The doctor said that the longer he was asleep, the more the chance of him waking up dwindled.

Jeremy took out some school work from his backpack and placed it on his lap. He stared at it for a few seconds before looking up at Odd.

Smirking, he said, "You know, you're missing a lot of school work. The longer you stay asleep the more you're going to lag behind."

Of course, there was no answer. Jeremy wasn't sure what he was expecting; for Odd to sit up and sass him like he always did?

Jeremy sighed and began scribbling History notes from his textbook. He had only been working for five minutes when he stopped in mid-sentence.

"I wonder…" he said aloud to himself before placing his homework on the ground and pulling out his laptop from his backpack.

Jeremy searched the song that was on the poster that Tommy had brought in. As the music began playing through the laptop speakers, he placed it on the bed beside Odd's hand and he waited.

Jeremy replayed the song two times before Ulrich, Yumi, and Aelita walked in. They were about to say something until they realized music was playing.

"What-what are you doing?" Yumi asked.

"Listening to 'You Belong To Me' by Jason Wade," Jeremy answered simply.

"Why?" Ulrich tipped his head in confusion.

Jeremy looked up at them and said, "It was his favorite song when he was little." When his friends continued staring at him, he added, "So I was told."

"And you're playing it…because?" Ulrich asked as he sat down on the other side of the bed.

"I read somewhere once that you can get a response from someone in a comatose state if you talk to them or play music," Jeremy answered.

As the song faded out once again, Jeremy sighed and said, "Well, so much for that."

Aelita gave him a small smile and said, "It's appreciated though, Jeremy."

There was a silence until Yumi broke it by saying, "Oh! I almost forgot…" She pulled a picture frame out of her backpack. The photograph inside was of all five of them. She placed it on the bedside table before sitting down.

Since it was Friday, Yumi, Ulrich, Jeremy, and Aelita had all fallen asleep in the cushioned chairs beside the window. Aelita was awakened to the sound of a voice beside Odd's bed.

It was Adelle. She was speaking softly, but loud enough for Aelita to hear her. Aelita kept her eyes closed while she listened.

"I need to return to Hallie soon. She's been wondering why she can't come see you. Whenever I tell her that you're not feeling well, she says that you should stay with us so she can feed you soup." Adelle laughed the last part out before her solemn look returned. She brought up his hand to her lips as tears poured out of her eyes. "You have to wake up. Please. I already have to live without seeing you for months, I don't know if I could take you being gone forever. Who knows…maybe we can become financially stable enough for you to live with us. Or maybe Bobby can get his auto shop open and running so you can live with him. Or, maybe, you can live with Aunt Jen and Uncle Vin."

Adelle let out a small sob and closed her eyes. "Please. There is so much to hope for. I know you're tired, but you just have to push a little bit more. You don't have to take care of mom anymore; you don't have to worry about any more of the violence that you have been subjected to throughout the years in the cities and towns you've been in. Ron was sent to a juvenile center…and the police are waiting for you to wake up so that they can catch the other one who…who did this."

There was a pause, as if Adelle was awaiting Odd's answer that, of course, did not come. Adelle kissed Odd's hand before placing it back on the bed.

"I love you," she said.

Aelita opened her eyes when the door closed. She stood up from her chair and walked over to Odd and sat down. What did Adelle mean that he did not have to take care of his mom anymore?

...

...

Yes, that's right...I'm back ;D


	36. Chapter 36

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 36**

Aelita had been sitting for about thirty minutes with Odd after Adelle left. She was still the only one awake out of all of them. As she rubbed her thumb along the back of Odd's hand, she looked up away from his face and at the basketball across the room behind her friends.

The final basketball game was the day before. Kadic won, and the team was happy; but there was the ghost on the court that the team couldn't help but feel. After the game, Lance and Jake went to the hospital to visit Odd. Ulrich, Aelita, Jeremy, and Yumi were already there; they did not feel like going to the game. Word had gone around school that Odd had been in an "accident."

Thankfully, Lance and Jake did not question further as they placed the winning basketball on the window sill. The whole team had signed it with a black permanent marker.

Aelita looked back at Odd. The tube was still down his throat along with the plastic holding it in place. Her eyes wandered over to where his left arm was replaced by a short stump. Her lip quivered at the thought of how he would react when…or if, he woke up.

Aelita mentally slapped herself.

No. He _would _wake up.

"You have to," Aelita spoke allowed as she buried her face in his hand, still being careful so as not to pull any of the needles that stuck into his skin.

Suddenly, movement caused Aelita's eyes to snap open. It was the tiniest movement, yet, it was the most she had seen in over a week.

A couple of Odd's fingers twitched in her hand and she pulled her face away and stared at them. She waited for a minute, and just as she thought she had imagined it, they moved again. Aelita gave a quick smile of disbelief as she felt the weakest squeeze on her hand. Aelita shot up out of her seat immediately. The screech of the chair jolted Jeremy awake.

"Hm? Whassapa-what?" he asked tiredly and stupidly.

"Odd?" she excitedly. "Odd, can you hear me?"

Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows, but upon seeing Odd's head loll slightly, shot up out of his chair.

"He's awake?" Jeremy asked as he straightened his glasses, his hair a blonde mess on his head.

"I-I don't know," Aelita answered. She cupped Odd's face in her cold hands and said, "Odd, please, open your eyes."

There was visible movement underneath Odd's eyelid until finally the most wonderful thing Aelita had seen in over a week occurred. Odd's eye fluttered open to see Aelita's face. His eye was only open a fraction and it was only one since the other was still covered in a white patch, but it was a beautiful sight that made Aelita tear up and give out a choked laugh.

Jeremy backed away and spoke urgently about going to get the doctor. He didn't even close the door as he rushed out of the door.

Ulrich and Yumi awoke with a start at the bustling. Ulrich stood up while rubbing sleep from his eyes and asked, "What's with all the noise?" Upon seeing Aelita's happy expression, he forgot all about being tired and rushed over to the bed, with Yumi following suit.

"Hey buddy! You-you're awake," Ulrich said; and upon seeing Odd's eye scan slowly over to meet his face, Ulrich smiled widely.

A Japanese nurse rushed into the room and Aelita let him through to where she was standing.

Odd's eye drifted away from Ulrich and Yumi and to the doctor. His eye was still seemingly unfocused and lazy.

The nurse bent down and said, "Odd, you're in the hospital…"

As this nurse talked, the other nurse rushed in and began checking Odd's vitals and writing on a clipboard.

The four friends watched from the sidelines as the nurses worked. It wasn't until Odd's eye closed again that Aelita rushed forward and said urgently, "W-wait, what's wrong with him? Why's he-"

"Don't worry, it is completely normal for a once-comatose patient to fall back asleep soon after waking up the first time," the nurse said. "It is actually a little better for him to be asleep for a little longer. I imagine he is still in quite a lot of pain."

As the four friends returned to their spot beside the bed, the nurse continued, "The truly wonderful news is that we are out of the dark now. Since he's woken up, it means he'll live."

The nurses smiled at each other as they saw the happiness on the youths' faces. As the nurses departed, they spoke to each other about calling Odd's siblings.

…

The following day, Adelle and Bobby were inside the room for the entire day. They had been frustrated when they heard that they were not present when Odd woke up the first time. Throughout the entire day, however, Odd did not wake up again. Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy were allowing the siblings to have time alone.

One day following Odd's awakening turned to two days. Jeremy and Aelita were exiting their last class of the day holding A grade tests while Ulrich was holding one with an F. Ulrich grumbled at it and was at the door when Mrs. Hertz stopped him, "Ulrich!"

Ulrich turned his head curiously and said, "Yes, Mrs. Hertz?"

The teacher looked at him pointedly and said, "Your grades are not fairing well."

Ulrich rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Yeah…see, about that…"

Mrs. Hertz stared at him with a raised eyebrow and awaited his explanation.

Ulrich's arms fell and he sighed. "I know, Mrs. Hertz. I just can't focus I guess."

Mrs. Hertz's expression softened slightly as she said, "I know that you and your friends have had a rough couple of weeks, but allowing your grades to slip will not help matters. If I allow you to retake this test, will you promise that you'll study?"

Ulrich's spirits were lifted as he said, "Yes, Mrs. Hertz. Thank you."

…

The four friends were out in the hallway outside of Odd's hospital room sitting on the cold, tile floor.

Aelita and Yumi were working on a project while Jeremy tutored Ulrich. They were all in a better mood than they had been in what felt like forever. After hearing the news that Odd would live, the days seemed so much better.

Jeremy was holding up a flashcard that said, "abiotic component." Ulrich was staring at it as though it were a creature with six heads.

"I'll give you a hint," Jeremy said, "All of the…"

Ulrich narrowed his eyes and said, "Jeremy, that doesn't help me at all."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and said, "Abiotic components are all of the non-living components of an organism's environment."

Ulrich slapped his head and said in mock disappointment, "Oh man! I _should've _ known!"

Jeremy rolled his eyes again and was about to pull out another flashcard when the door to Odd's hospital room opened and Adelle rushed out.

"Nurse! Nurse! Something's wrong!" she cried.

All four friends shot up off the floor, homework forgotten. Upon hurrying into the room, they noticed Odd's heart monitor was beeping faster than usual and his eyes were open and alert.

Odd was grasping desperately at the plastic over his mouth that held the tube in place. The doctor hurried in and said urgently, "Odd, Odd, calm down! We're going to get the tube out, don't worry."

The doctor and a nurse pulled the long tube from Odd's throat and mouth. As soon as the tube exited Odd's airway, he began coughing violently. The Japanese nurse was once again in the room, only this time, she brought in a small, rolling cart with a bucket, pitcher, and cups.

With her gloved hands, she removed a small ice cube from the plastic bucket and slipped it into Odd's mouth.

"Here," she said gently. "Sucking on the ice cube will help with the dryness and soreness."

Adelle and Bobby rushed forward with wide smiles on their faces. They soothed their younger brother as he continued choking slightly, fighting to be able to breathe normally again.

Once the doctor and nurses went to take chest x-rays to be sure there was no damage done from the tube being pulled out, Odd's coughing fit subsided. Adelle was brushing his messy hair from his forehead with her hand while Bobby rubbed his back.

"Good, bro?" he asked jokingly, though he had tears in his eyes.

"Y-y-yeah," Odd said in a raspy voice that was hardly over a whisper.

"I'm so glad that you're finally awake," Adelle said with tears in her eyes. "I mean, my bad, _we_ are so glad that you're finally awake."

Odd gave another small cough as he looked up and saw Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy beaming at him from the doorway. They began walking forward when they received a reassuring nod from Adelle that they were not intruding.

"You worried the hell out of us, mate," Ulrich said breathlessy with tears in his eyes as he stood at the edge of the bed.

Odd gave a tired smirk but let out a small 'oof' as Aelita rushed up and hugged him. She made sure she was gentle though, so as not to hurt him.

"I've missed you so much," she said as tears fell from her eyes and onto his grey-ish blue hospital gown. Odd brought up his arm weakly and hugged her back as he tried leaning up on the bed. At first, he flinched at the pain it caused him, but his eyebrows then furrowed in confusion.

He tried using both arms to hug Aelita but failed. It was then that a horrible realization set in.

He couldn't feel his left arm at all.

Odd let go of Aelita and she backed up slightly. She watched as he turned his head slowly and his eyes widened when he didn't see his arm. Where there once was a limb was replaced with a thickly bandaged nub halfway above where his elbow used to be.

The only word he could manage was a quiet and raspy, "What?"

Odd's heart monitor started beating faster as he breathed ragged, quick breaths as his head fell. His right hand gripped the blanket tightly.

Aelita reached out and said gently with tears still falling from her eyes, "Odd…Odd it's okay…"

Adelle wrapped her younger brother in a warm hug as he continued staring blankly at the bed.

"It's okay…I love you so much," Adelle spoke softly as Bobby looked at the floor solemnly.

A voice was suddenly heard behind Aelita, Ulrich, Jeremy, and Yumi and they turned.

The doctor looked at them and said in a sympathetic tone, "It would be best if you four returned later."

As the doctor guided them out, Ulrich protested, "No! He's-"

"I don't think Odd is in the mood for visitors right now," the doctor interrupted, though his voice remained gentle.

The last thing the four friends saw of their friend that day was Odd still clutching Adelle's sleeve with his remaining hand and staring numbly at nothing.

…


	37. Chapter 37

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 37**

As Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi, and Jeremy walked into the hospital the following day after school, they passed Odd's siblings leaving. Both of them were fuming and talking wildly about their bosses being "arrogant assholes" and "power-crazy dick wads."

Yumi covered her mouth and let out a grin and a small laugh.

Ulrich watched the two siblings before turning to his friends and saying with a grin, "Am I the only one who sees Odd in _both _of them?"

They all four laughed as they walked inside. They quieted down once they got in the elevator. Aelita's face turned solemn as she asked to anyone in particular, "How are we supposed to act?"

"In my opinion, as normal as possible," Jeremy said, putting his hand on his chin.

"I agree," Ulrich said, causing Aelita and Yumi to look at him. "I can vouch for that opinion. I know that Odd wouldn't want us acting any different towards him. Which means, Jeremy scolds him and we laugh as he sasses back."

Yumi and Aelita laughed as Jeremy glared at him. Ulrich let out a small hum before turning to walk out of the elevator doors that had just 'dinged' open.

Ulrich opened the door quietly just in case Odd was asleep, but he was overjoyed when he saw that he wasn't. Odd looked at them and gave a small salute with his right hand.

"Salutations," he said jokingly, his voice still somewhat raspy from the tube having just been pulled from his throat.

Replacing it was one, small, clear nasal ventilator tube through his left nostril, which was pulled to the side and behind him so it wouldn't be in front of his mouth.

Ulrich was the first to the bed and stared at him for a moment with a derpy and slightly nervous grin on his face.

Odd smirked at him and lifted up his right arm as he said, "Bring it in good buddy."

Ulrich accepted the offer to everyone's slight surprise. Ulrich was not much of the hugging type, and neither was Odd. It was strange yet sweet watching the two reunite. The sweet moment only lasted ten seconds before Ulrich lightly whacked him on the back of the head.

"Hey!" Odd protested as he rubbed the back of his head. "What was that for?"

Ulrich crossed his arms and said, "For scaring the living shit out of me."

"All of us," Yumi said as she bent down and hugged him as well, Aelita on the other side.

Odd caught sight of Aelita's hair, which appeared disheveled. He smirked at her and said, "Your hair is…exciting."

Aelita narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Yours…isn't. Not like it normally is."

Odd replied, "That's what being in a coma does to you."

Aelita's face fell and Ulrich whacked him on the back of the head again.

"Would you stop doing that?" Odd said, turning to him. "You're going to whack my stylish new tube out of place."

"Don't joke about you being in a coma," Ulrich said, index finger up.

Odd rolled his eyes, but smiled and said, "Alright mom. If dems da rules."

"By the way, what's that tube for anyway?" Yumi asked as they all sat down.

"Well, since half of my face is kind of a nasty mess I can't really breathe right on my left side," Odd answered simply. "Love it."

"How are you feeling?" Jeremy asked as they all sat down.

"Best I've felt in years," Odd answered jokingly.

Ulrich rolled his eyes as Yumi and Aelita snickered, glad to have their quirky friend back. Jeremy noted how he avoided the question, and knew that he wasn't feeling nearly as good as he seemed. There was visible pain on his face to go with the attitude, but he decided to let it go.

Jeremy smirked and said, "Good to hear."

"So, enough about me and more about you," Odd said. "Obviously you guys have been up to something over the past two weeks."

"New semester," Jeremy simply said. "Which means that you have some studying to do."

Odd narrowed his eyes. "Wow, Jeremy. You bring happiness and joy everywhere you go."

Jeremy shrugged as the others laughed, happy to see the two being sassy with each other once again.

They each took turns with what had been happening over the past couple of weeks. Ulrich told Odd about the basketball team winning, Yumi told him about finals, and Aelita was telling him about the classes she was in with the new semester. It wasn't until Odd tried sitting up and let out a gasp of pain did she stop short in her talking.

"Odd!" she cried along with Ulrich and Yumi.

"Are you alright?" Aelita asked then as Ulrich tried to help him sit up.

"I got it," Odd said as he pushed through the pain and used his one arm to shakily sit up in the bed fully. He brought his hand over to his shoulder where his broken collarbone and heavily bandaged stump were and breathed through the severe pain he was in. "I'm fine. Honest."

Everyone looked at him with concerned expressions except for Jeremy who narrowed his eyes.

"That's why you look like you're about to cry?" Jeremy asked and he crossed his arms.

Odd smirked at him and said jokingly, though with his voice drenched in pain, "Einstein, you should know by now that I do not cry. It's impossible."

"Mhm," Jeremy said with his eyebrow up.

Odd shot the best glare he could muster the genius' way.

"So, Odd…" Yumi said and he turned to her. "Why were your brother and sister so angry?"

"Oh, their bosses got after them for being away for so long," he lifted up his hand as a substitute for shrugging. "For good reason too. They have been away from their jobs for too long. They have a living to make, dreams to achieve, yada yada."

"Oh yeah," Aelita said. "Your brother wants to open an auto shop, right?"

"Yeah…" Odd answered, giving her a strange look. "How do you know that?"

Aelita's eyes went wide as the others looked at her as well. She stuttered, "U-um, you…you told me?"

Odd gave her a strange look before saying, "Whatever you say, Princess. Can you hand me the pitcher of water over there and a cup?"

Aelita, relieved to have that subject out of the way, grabbed the two requested items and was about to pour the water into a cup when she was interrupted.

"It's alright," Odd said, reaching out. "I got it."

Aelita looked at him blankly and surprised, "I-I don't think…"

"It's fine," Odd said reassuringly. "I am perfectly capable of pouring a cup of water for myself. I've been doing in for years." He added the last part jokingly.

Aelita hesitated before handing the cup and pitcher to him. His friends watched with strange expressions as Odd put the cup between his legs. This proved to be a flop, however, since he could not move his right leg well due to the cast. Odd realized that this was a failure, so he put the lip of the cup between his teeth and then began pouring the water inside.

Seeing as he was not capable of holding a full cup of water between his teeth by only the lip of the cup, he only filled it up so there were two sips inside.

Once he placed the pitcher back on the bedside table, he removed the cup from his mouth and drank it before placing the cup beside the pitcher.

"Got it," Odd then said triumphantly. His friends stared at him and he furrowed his eyebrows, "What?"

"Uh…we'll be right back!" Ulrich said as he stood up and ushered Yumi out of her seat. Aelita and Jeremy followed. Aelita made sure to give Odd a 'one sec' signal with her finger before leaving the room.

Once outside the room, Ulrich turned to his friends and said, "Alright…problem."

"Why won't he let us help him?" Aelita asked sympathetically.

Ulrich opened his mouth, but Jeremy interrupted him by saying, "Because he is a stubborn child."

"Uh…yeah," Ulrich agreed. "Basically."

"Well we _all _know that," Yumi said, her hands on her hips. "I think the whole school might even know it. So, what do we do?"

"Force the help on him," Jeremy said.

Ulrich rubbed the back of his neck, "Jeremy, haven't you learned by now that Odd doesn't really listen to anything you say?"

Jeremy smirked, crossed his arms, and stuck his nose in the air. "Yes, and I think he's learned by now that I don't give up easily."

Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi looked at each other before turning around and walking back into the room. Upon entering, they saw Odd struggling with trying to get a wrapper off of a cough drop.

"What are you doing?" Jeremy asked with narrowed eyes.

Odd looked up at him and said, "After having a tube in my throat for two weeks my throat kind of hurts." Jeremy began walking over as Odd was saying in a strained voice, "I just have to get the wrapper off and-" Jeremy suddenly knocked the cough drop to the floor and crossed his arms.

"Wha-did you just…?" Odd stuttered, at loss for words.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Do you need help?" Jeremy asked in mock sweetness.

Odd pointed a warning finger at him and said, "You are so lucky I'm bed ridden or I would-"

Jeremy smiled and said, "I'll take that as a yes."

He leaned down and picked up the still wrapped cough drop off of the floor and ripped open the plastic with both hands. He then handed the cough drop to Odd who stared at it in his open palm.

"What? Now you don't want it? I don't have cooties," Jeremy said, smirking.

"Cute," Odd replied. "That sounds familiar. Was knocking the cough drop to the floor a version of payback for you burning your tongue on my coffee?"

_"Want a drink of mine?" Odd said pushing his mug toward the boy with glasses._

_He looked at it with slight concern and regret of ever talking._

_"Go on, I don't have cooties," Odd said, seeing the expression on Jeremy's face._

_Then, getting a cocky look on his face again, he picked up the mug. "Alright."_

_And then, taking a sip, his eyes automatically got wide as he set the mug back down. And his face contorted into a strange expression of disgust and surprise mixed together. And then, a mix of pain._

_"Jeremy? Are…are you okay?" Aelita asked with concern._

_He then swallowed and his eyes got slightly watery as he then gasped for air and choked a bit. And Odd picked his mug up again like there wasen't a gasping boy across from him and took a sip from it. Aelita was patting Jeremy on the back as he continued gasping and coughing._

_"I guess we don't like the same amount of strongness in coffee." He then said simply as Jeremy then started drinking madly from his glass of orange juice._

Jeremy let out a laugh and said, "No."

Odd took the cough drop and placed it in his mouth and said, "Well, thank you; but I can open a cough drop on my own. Just because I'm in a hospital does not mean I'm an invalid."

Aelita sat down in her chair and said softly, "We know, Odd, but…" she hesitated before saying the next part, "You need to let us help you. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Well, yeah, if I needed help, but I don't," Odd answered seriously, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes you do, man," Ulrich said as he sat down as well, Yumi following suit. "You need our help and you know it."

"_No I don't_," Odd said dangerously and loudly as he whipped toward his best friend. The sharp movement made him cry out in pain, however and he gripped his left side again. Breathing through clenched teeth he said, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for years haven't I? I'm not about to stop now."

"What do you mean?" Yumi asked, concern written all over her face as well as curiosity.

When Odd didn't answer, Aelita put her hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Odd…you know you can tell us anything, right?"

Odd gave a choked laugh and said, "That sounds familiar also."

_Odd sat on the ground with sweat beading on his face. "I'm surprised he didn't make me do one hundred eighty instead..." he breathed._

_"I think it's a safe bet that you won't go off in town late at night again…" Jeremy then said from the bleachers as Aelita handed Odd her own water bottle for him to drink._

_And with that, Odd turned and glared at him._

_"Odd…what exactly was he talking about when he said, what you and your mother want?" Aelita asked timidly._

_Not quite expecting this question, he didn't answer. He just looked out at the setting sun behind the trees. He knew he should tell them, they'd been friends for a few months now. But he just didn't want to talk about it, he didn't like to, to anyone._

_"Odd?" she asked again as she sat beside him on the ground. "You can tell us anything, you know that right?"_

_He still didn't answer, just continued gazing out into the setting sun. The evening birds were chirping their songs._

_"I don't like to talk about it…" he then said finally._

Odd had his eyes closed as he focused on willing the pain away.

"Look…" Aelita said carefully. "I know about how you used to take care of your mom, and that's obviously why you want to get these grades so you can continue-"

Odd's eyes shot open and he looked at her, "What?"

Aelita closed her eyes and sighed. She then looked down at the floor and said, "The other night, I was listening to your sister talk about how…how you don't have to take care of your mom anymore. Obviously, you're used to-"

"I don't want to talk about any of this," Odd said as he closed his eyes again, as though willing Aelita to stop talking.

Aelita had told Jeremy, Ulrich, and Yumi about what she had heard, and they were confused by it as well. There was something that Odd was not telling them, and they could tell it needed to be out in the open.

Ulrich took a deep breath and said, "Odd…"

"I don't need this therapy talk or whatever you guys are trying to do, alright?" Odd said sharply.

_Ulrich then came down and sat on Odd's other side. "You know, it's not good to keep things that are bothering you inside."_

_"What are you, a therapist?" Odd asked smirking at him._

_Ulrich shrugged. "Maybe I am now."_

The five of them sat in silence until a crack of thunder outside broke it. Rain drops were heard tapping against the window.

Odd took a breath before asking, "Why do you guys even want to know?"

They looked up at him and Yumi asked, "What do you mean?"

"Like, why do you guys want to know about my life and…everything? I don't get it," Odd said as he looked at her with his one eye.

Yumi didn't have time to answer, because Jeremy said with furrowed eyebrows, "Because we care."

Odd gave him a confused look and Jeremy shrugged and gave a scoff and said, "Yeah. There, I said it. I do care. Alright? I know I've never really shown it properly, but I think of you as a close friend." Everyone stared at him and he stood up and walked a couple feet before whirling around and saying, "You need to get these things off your chest, Odd. You have to, alright?"

Odd furrowed his eyebrows and said, "I don't know where this is coming from, Jeremy, but-"

"I was so…so _pissed _when you came into the group. I was so mad that you were fitting in so easily to the group," Jeremy's words rushed out as though he had been waiting to say them for a long time. "I was…I don't know…jealous? I don't know if you can tell, but I'm not exactly the coolest dude."

Odd blinked, but said nothing. Jeremy continued, "Ulrich, Aelita, Yumi…they're the greatest friends I've ever had. I guess I didn't want to share. Once I got over that a little, though, you began to remind me of someone. He was my best friend at the time. Kids picked on him at school, but I didn't think much of it, because he never said anything to me about it. He would always blow it off, act like it was no big deal." Jeremy paused and paced for a moment before turning around and saying, "That's where I fell short. I never actually asked him how it made him feel inside. I never asked about the bullying. The next year, the bullying got so bad he-he…"

Jeremy swallowed and took a deep breath before saying, his voice cracking, "He killed himself."

A tear slipped down Jeremy's face and his friends were stunned. They were not used to Jeremy crying. As Jeremy looked out the window at the rain falling from the dark grey sky, he said in a broken voice, "I had no idea he was feeling that bad. He kept it locked away for so long until finally…finally he couldn't take it anymore."

Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi had no idea that this had happened. Frankly, they were flabbergasted. Odd was looking at Jeremy with sincere sympathy in his expression. Jeremy turned around and walked up to the bed again and said in a quiet voice, "That's why you need to, Odd. We don't just want to know because we care. We also want to know because…I just can't take that guilt again if…"

Odd understood, though, and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. Jeremy had tears flowing down his face and he looked up to see Odd giving him a small, reassuring smile.

"Alright," Odd said softly. "I can try."

Jeremy gave a small smile as well and said in a slightly choked voice, "I guess we both have the same trait of not sharing to work on."

Odd tipped his head and said, "Eh, guess so. We have more in common than we thought."

Jeremy laughed through the tears, causing the others to smile.

What was asked in the next moment caught Odd completely off guard.

"Y-you haven't tried to off yourself right?"

Odd looked at him, the sympathy was replaced by a blank expression which then turned to hesitation. He could see the genuine fear in the normally-sassy's teenager's eyes. Jeremy was clasping the blankets on the bed unconsciously as he waited for Odd's answer.

"Have you ever tried to kill yourself? Have you?"

_Memories flashed through his head of the past as he stumbled his way outside onto the deck. He slid the screen door back so part of the noise was blocked out. Now he could hear the sound of cars and other city noises despite that he was on the tenth floor._

_Going over to the railing, he looked out to see the city lights. Looking down he could see the cars moving through the street. He breathed in the night air and let it out shakily._

_Odd took in another shaky breath as he stood up. He stumbled over to the railing and gripped the cold metal. He looked down at the city below; at the sidewalk and street, at all the people and cars. Perhaps he could miss a person if he were to fall. He didn't want to land on anybody._

_Bringing his ratty shoes up on the railing, Odd climbed up and grabbed the brick wall to support him. One small slip and he could go falling to the street below. The railing was just a narrow metal bar. Half of his feet were hanging over the edge, waiting for lift off._

_A feeling came in Odd's legs and stomach as he thought of the feeling he'd get if he were to just step off the railing._

_He brought one hand off the brick wall and leaned out over the city. He felt more cold air brush against him as it rustled his hair._

"Odd!" Jeremy said urgently as he stared into his friend's eyes.

Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi watched with bated breath. They were not sure whether to stop what was happening or wait for an answer.

_Now he just had to remove his other hand from the bricks and he'd be on his way. He felt the muscles in his arm start to ease up as he prepared to let go._

_He shut his eyes tight then opened them. He looked at the city in front of him as he felt his hand letting go._

"Answer me!" Jeremy said louder still when Odd looked down.

The demand brought Odd's eyes back up.

_Odd then gasped as he felt one foot slip off the railing. He fell back onto the cold floor as he brought himself back forcefully._

_He stumbled to a sitting position as he shuffled back into the corner of the porch. Arms around his knees, he rocked back and forth and breathed in shaky breaths._

Odd opened his mouth, but could not seem to form words. Instead, he closed his mouth nodded.

**…**

**…**

**Dundundun!**


	38. Chapter 38

I'm sorry it's taken me a little while to update, I just started college a couple of weeks ago. I've been pretty busy adapting and everything.

I hope you enjoy this newest chapter!

**Out Of Place**

**Chapter 38**

There was silence in the room after realizing what Odd's nod meant. Jeremy backed away and Ulrich gaped at him. Finally, finding his voice he asked desperately, "Odd…why?"

Odd's eye scanned over to Ulrich; his face along with Yumi read that they were desperate for answers. Instead of answering, Odd looked down at bed.

"Odd, please," Yumi said. "We just want to help."

Closing his eye, he replied, "I know, but…I can't tell you."

A soft hand touching his own caused him to open his eye and look up at the owner. Aelita was looking at him and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Yes you can," Aelita said.

"I-I don't even know where to start," Odd said quietly.

"How about we start with your mother...or your family...friends from your hometown?" Aelita offered gently.

Odd turned his head slowly and looked out the window where the rain was still drenching the outside world. It was then that he began telling his story. It began when he was five-years-old and his father left him; his mother kicked him out, and that was when Odd began trying to care for her. It was as though the words began flowing out of his mouth like he had been waiting to tell someone, anyone, what had happened to him.

_"Daddy! Where are you going?" a five-year-old Odd called after him as he ran onto the front porch._

_The blonde man looked over at him with sad eyes as he left the open car door. He walked over to the little blonde and purple haired boy that stood on the steps of the front porch._

_"I'm not sure," he replied. _

_"Well, you're coming back soon right?" he asked._

_"I don't know. But no matter how different things might get. We'll still see each other around won't we?"_

_"What are you talking about?" Odd asked. He didn't like the way his dad was talking. "What's going on?"_

_"I thought I told you to get out!" a shriek came from inside the house. "Get out!"_

_"I'll see you around. Okay?" his dad said as he gave him a hug that smelt of cologne and cigarettes. Odd wrapped his small arms around his dad and he felt as though things were changing._

_When their embrace ended, his dad ruffled his hair and then walked to the car and stepped into the already open car door. Slamming the car door shut, he looked at his son again and gave the best encouraging smile he could muster. Then, he then turned on the car and began pulling out from in front of the house._

_"D-daddy..." Odd stammered quietly, then he yelled louder after him, "Daddy! Don't leave! Don't leave!"_

_But the car had already pulled out from the house and was driving down the street. _

_Odd watched him drive away and then his knees gave out and he fell onto the ground and cried. Dirt coated the knees of his jeans as he sat on the ground._

_The purple-haired woman listened from the kitchen table to her son's crying, but she didn't stand up; she just sat back in the chair and stared at the ceiling with a cigarette in hand and a large bottle of alcohol in the other. She felt as though she should get up and comfort her son but couldn't bring herself to. Instead, she slammed the bottle on the table and pressed her hands to her eyes and cried herself._

_Later on, about an hour later when Odd was still outside on the ground, he had stopped crying a little while ago and just sat with his knees up to his tear-streaked face. He felt his mother's arms wrap around him and tell him in a whisper, "Odd my dear, be strong."_

_Upon looking up at the woman, the arms did not belong to the mother who sat at the kitchen table inside the small house. The arms belonged to the mother he longed for and truly loved, his aunt Jennifer. Her long, brunette hair flowed down past her shoulders. If the image of her had stayed a little bit longer, perhaps he would have been able to catch her scent; the scent that reminded him of his true home. However, when Odd blinked, she was gone, and he was left alone._

_The year that followed was nothing but a house full of fear, confusion, drugs, alcohol, and violence. Odd recalled waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of his mother's new boyfriend, Ace, screaming at her and glass shattering. These were the nights that Odd would climb out his window and run away._

_Sometimes he would run to the railroad tracks and watch as the train sped by. Other times he would walk through town and sit on a bench and watch the nightlife around him. It didn't matter how long he would be gone for, his mother would never even notice he was gone._

_It wasn't until a month into his mother's new relationship did the boyfriend begin beating Odd instead of his mother. Sometimes it would be a simple slap to the face, other times it would be way worse._

_One beating that particularly stuck out in his mind was caused by a drug frenzy. Ace was so full of drugs and alcohol that he was filled with a blind rage at Odd._

_On that night, Odd was escorted home by a police officer, in which his mother met the officer outside to receive him. It was not a serious offense, in fact, the officer was not even mad. Instead, he simply informed Odd's mother that he was out past curfew. After thanking him and pretending like she had been looking for him for hours, she brought him inside._

_"The fucking cops?" Ace growled as he turned and glared at Odd._

_"They're gone now," Odd's mother said. "Nothing to worry about-"_

_She was interrupted as Ace marched up and punched Odd in the side of the head, knocking him down. "Worthless piece of shit."_

_"What the hell are you doing?!" she cried._

_"You shut your ass up before I make you," Ace pointed a warning finger at her and she shut her mouth and watched as Odd was lifted off the ground by his shirt and thrown into the wall._

_"I don't even know why you keep this lousy, piece of shit around anyway," Ace grumbled. "All he does is cause problems!" He hit Odd a few times with a remote control before he was satisfied with the punishment he had given._

_Odd lay whimpering on the ground, his lip and nose bleeding and bruises already starting to form on his arms. Tears flowed down his face as he sobbed quietly._

_"Not to mention, he's also a wimp," Ace growled out as he jammed his dirty shoe on the side of Odd's face and pressed it into the floorboards. He then bent down as low as he could and said in a dangerous voice, "No more cops to the front door from now on, right?"_

_"Y-y-yes s-sir," Odd whimpered as his tears fell onto the floor._

_No more cops came to the door, but the beatings continued anyway. Everything Odd did seemed to be wrong to Ace. Odd's mother was just a ghost who hung around and watched._

_A couple days after Odd's sixth birthday went unnoticed was when the nightmare he called his life really started to take off. It was late at night, and Odd was in his bed coloring underneath the lamp light when he heard his door creak open._

_Looking up, he saw Ace leaning against the doorframe drunkenly. Odd could smell the booze already and he unconsciously touched the fresh bruises on his arm from a couple nights before._

_"Yes, sir?" Odd asked, hoping that this time, just this once, he would walk away. _

_Instead, Ace walked slowly forward and bent down so he was eye level with the young boy._

_"Don't wake your mother," Ace slurred._

_The man began taking off all of his clothes until he was completely naked and leaned over Odd, his grip on the young boy's neck to keep him down. When the man began lifting up Odd's shirt with the other hand, he made a small noise of complaint. Ace roughly covered Odd's mouth with his hand and shushed him._

_"Remember what I said? Don't wake your mother," he whispered gruffly._

_Odd could feel Ace's warm breath in his ear, and he could feel his whiskers on the side of his face. They were fresh and sharp, dragging against his skin and irritating it. There was no telling what was going to happen next, because a shout came from behind them._

_"What the hell are you doing, Ace?!" Odd's mother shouted from the doorway._

_The man turned around and sputtered nonsense excuses as he pulled his pants back on before she began slapping him all the way down the hallway. Eventually he grew tired of her and threw her down the stairs._

_Odd crawled out his window and spent the night in a jungle gym that night. _

_A couple days after was when this happened again. Of course, Odd's mother did not keep Ace out of the house. She allowed him to enter, in which he abused whatever drugs he had. That night, the same terrible event occurred once again. This time, however, his mother was not there to stop it, for she was out doing who knows what. Instead, Odd had to fight is own way out of the man's grip._

_When Ace had Odd pinned down, he brought his small foot up and kicked him in the groin as hard as he possibly could. Ace double over, allowing Odd's escape. He was almost to the front door when Ace grabbed him from behind and threw him against a wall. _

_"You little, son of a bitch!" Ace growled as he grabbed Odd's face roughly and held it up to his own face._

_The tight grip hurt Odd's face and he whimpered as he stared into the face of the man that had scarred him mentally and physically. _

_It was then that two people who had been on a late night walk barged into the house. One of them was holding an open cellphone and the other was holding a rather large fallen branch. The two had heard the commotion and looked through the window to see the abuse taking place. Neither of them knew of the sexual abuse that had taken place earlier, however, due to the fact that Ace had pulled his pants up clumsily before chasing Odd. _

_Ace whipped around, still holding onto Odd's face and spat, "Who the FUCK are you?"_

_The man holding the phone shouted at him, "The police are already on their way!"_

_Ace's eyes widened and he let go of Odd before dashing out of the back door. The man was not concerned with this, however, considering he had already taken a picture of Ace to give to the police. The woman and man immediately ran over to the small child cowering on the floor._

_"Kid, are you okay?" the man asked as the woman gently touched his shoulder._

_"Oh, Jim, he is covered in bruises," the woman said sadly._

_"That son of a bitch," the man named Jim growled._

_When the police had arrived, they began speaking to Odd and asking who Ace was and what had happened. Odd's mother ran into the house and up to her son who now sat a the kitchen table. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and began crying, asking if he was okay._

_She made up a ludicrous excuse about how she had kicked Ace out months earlier, and he must have broken into the house when she was not home. When the police asked her why she left her young son home alone, she simply said that she was only supposed to be gone for a few minutes._

_Odd claimed that her statements were true, even though they definitely weren't._

_Odd was taken to his aunt's house by his mother, which was when the photograph on Odd's bedside table was taken._

_Odd lived with his aunt and uncle for a year before his mom picked him up and brought him back home. He learned to take care of his mother whenever she was a drunken and/or drugged up mess._

_By the time he was ten, he was introduced to drugs himself._

_Odd was with Tommy after school when he saw older kids from the middle school that he knew. He waved to them politely and they looked at him before asking if he wanted to smoke weed with them._

_"Why?" Odd asked, tipping his head._

_"Because it's fun, duh," one of the kids said._

_In response to this, Odd shrugged and nodded._

_This was around the same time that Odd and Tommy began to notice the freedom they had. Tommy's parents were always too busy with work to pay much attention to him, and Odd's mother was practically nonexistent. The two boys could run around and do anything their hearts desired, illegal or not. When Tommy was being bullied in middle school for his feminine voice, Odd stepped up and taught the bully a violent lesson that caused the two boys to go to the principal's office._

_After this, the two became friends with other troubled kids, and they formed a threatening group. If anyone gave them trouble, they would fight them or threaten them until they stopped. The group eventually became known as kids to not mess with._

_Tommy took this newfound power incredibly far by bullying and fighting with people for no reason. Odd would merely watch as this took place, but if anyone threatened Tommy, he would swoop in and help take care of it. Psychologically, the reason for Odd's violent and protective nature came from how he felt when it came to Ace: vulnerable and weak; and how his own mother never did anything to stop it from happening. Even after being sexually assaulted as a young child, the only thing she did was stop Ace from the act because it grossed and weirded her out; it was not because she actually cared about her son's well-being. Odd did not want Tommy to be left without someone to help him._

_Anytime that kids were in the group's way, they would shove them into lockers, trashcans, anything to remind them of their "place" and to get them out of the way. Odd would never shove kids for simply standing in the way. He would instead walk alongside Tommy and watch it happen, and then walk through the cleared path._

_This allowed people to think that it was okay to talk to Odd at times. For instance, people would talk to Odd when he wasn't around anyone from his clique. Whenever the person talking to Odd would get caught, however, they would get insulted and shoved out of the way. Tommy was the worst and meanest of them all._

_When Odd became close with one boy who was not part of their group, Tommy did not agree with the friendship. After countless insults to the kid, he finally stood up for himself against Tommy, and ended up getting the snot beat out of him. Odd watched, but did not need to be held back, instead he simply stood and observed as Tommy and another boy punched and kicked the defenseless victim. Odd watched with wide eyes as the boy whimpered on the ground._

_"I warned you, man," Tommy said dangerously as he walked up to Odd. "We do not-look at me." __Odd's eyes shifted from his friend on the ground to Tommy, who was glaring at him. "We do not associate with runts. We have a reputation to uphold. I can't have my right-hand man running around with some loser. Got it?"_

_Odd didn't reply, instead stared blankly at Tommy. Not liking the fact that he didn't receive a response, Tommy shoved Odd backwards and he stumbled._

_"Got it?" _

_Odd nodded._

_By the time Odd was fourteen, he had already been in trouble with the cops multiple times._

"_No." _

"_No?" the officer asked with a cocked brow as he sat on the sofa in a small, shabby living room. The smell in the air was that of cigarrette smoke and cotton candy-scented perfume; this was explained by the woman standing in front of them._

"_Yeah, no. I refuse to go anywhere," The purple-haired woman said in a serious tone. Her glare pierced into the man across from her as she stood with her arms crossed, a cigarette in one of her fingers._

"_I'm afraid you have to ma'am. It's for the best," The other officer said, coming to his fellow officer's aid._

_And at this, she turned on him then, "You expect me…to give him up? He's all I got left. You can't take him from me you sons of-"_

"_All you have to do, is go there until you get better, then you could have him back," The officer reasoned by the name of Paul Richardson._

"_I don't want you to say I would possibly__ get him back. I want a guarantee!" she shouted at him._

"_We can't guarantee that unless you follow through with the rules in order to get him back. If he continues living like this he'll surely-"_

"_Don't even begin to talk about my parenting like that!" she snapped back._

"_I wasen't-"_

"_Oh yes you were. And don't even try to tell me otherwise," The angry, purple-haired woman said. Her hair was a messy disheveled bun with a pink bandana over top, and she was wearing sweatpants that were very baggy along with a shirt that looked to be a couple sizes too big. Making her frame look even skinnier than usual._

_The officers sat quietly, they wanted her to calm down before they continued any further. But they didn't want to sit there all day and they feared that that's how long it would take._

"_You are aware that we've given your son too many chances. Something more has to be done. No more boot camps, no more few hours in jail. Something more needs to be done," The other officer said, by the name of Bob Herrick._

"_I don't think you heard what I said. Me and my son aren't going anywh-"_

"_Wherever you guys are planning on taking me, I'll just end of finding my way back. You know that right?"_

_A voice interrupted the untidy woman and the two officers conversation. The woman looked up and the officers looked over their shoulders to see that the voice belonged to a blonde-haired teen with a purple spot in the middle of his hair. Wearing a green, checkered plaid shirt to match with black skinny jeans. His lip ring in his bottom lip shined in the light, and his face was pulled into a scowl._

'_Oh yeah, these two are deffinetly mother and son…' Bob Herrick thought as he looked from the boy to the woman. Both glares shared equal venom at the two men standing in their house. In their eyes, they were in the wrong here. And in their minds, they thought that no one was going to make them budge from their spot. _

"_Alright, here's how it's going to go down…" Paul said as he stood up along with his fellow officer._

"_Oh, I'd love to hear this shit," Odd said as he crossed his arms over his chest and his mom snickered. _

_Taking a deep breath to calm his anger from boiling in him, he started talking again, "If you two don't cooperate, then we're just going to have to make you leave by force. Whether it comes to either leading you out pleasantly…" he then strolled over to the boy and leaned down so if face was up close to his. "…or dragging you out kicking and screaming. Take your pick."_

"_How about this…" the woman said from behind him, "Either you back the hell away from my son and get out of his face, or I beat the shit out of you until you do."_

_At this, the officers got out their handcuffs. They weren't taking this anymore, talking to an officer like this was one thing. But refusing to do as they said was another. "Alright, that's it, say your goodbyes to each other. Turn her into her place, I bring this little trashbag to his place," he said to Bob._

_With that, Paul forcefully turned Odd around and pulled his hands behind his back and handcuffed him. And the other officer did the same to the woman._

"_What are you doing? Get off of me!" she shouted as she fought against the officer._

_Paul was dragging Odd out of the house, even as he fought and tried to kick the officer to let him go. _

"_You let him go now! Let go of my son!" Odd's mom shouted as she was brought out of the house by the other officer._

_Both driving separate cars, they were going to go to their different places right away. The purple-haired woman managed to get away from her officer though and, still handcuffed, ran over to where her son was being dragged to the police car._

_ "Get off of me!" Odd was yelling at the man._

_The woman was almost to her son when she was tackled to the ground by the other officer as he then dragged her up from the ground. "Odd!" she screamed as he was shoved into the back of the police car and the door was slammed shut._

"_Guess we went with the kicking and screaming huh?" Paul said as he smirked and got in the drivers seat, turned his lights on and drove off. The lights shining the colors on the darkness around him, night had fallen a while ago. _

_To anyone else, it would seem that she was a troubled parent that loved her son, but __deep down, Odd knew that she only really enjoyed having him around because she knew he would take care of her. He just didn't want to admit it to himself because it hurt too much. He had come to the realization that he didn't actually love his mom, he just loved the idea of a mom. Odd felt a responsibility to take care of her, he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she would finally love him like a true mother should. This, of course, never happened._

_A couple days later was when his foster care came into play._

"_So…you're the one I'm going to be taking care of, hm?"_

_The woman glared down at Odd like he was dirt at the bottom of her shoe. No doubt she didn't like him, so he didn't know why she wanted to take in kids that needed a place to live. Her name was, Veronica Fanzone._

_The officers had told him that she was new at foster care, that he was her first kid to take care of. So, she was unexperienced basically._

"_I can't hear you. Speak up. What's you're name?" She snapped. Her black, greasy hair was barely shining from the light that was letting off a very low glow._

_The house was a depressing, dimly lit, two story house. Nobody else lived there with this woman._

"_Odd," He replied shortly._

_Beatings ensued as his time with Veronica went on. If it were a man, Odd would have no problem fighting back, but sense it was a woman, no matter how foul she was, he could not bring himself to hit her._

_So he would let her beat him. It did not matter what she used or for how long, he would allow it. Sometimes he wished he didn't have his code, but he was always happy that he had never fought back._

"_What are you doing?" Veronica asked none too nicely when she walked into the kitchen to see him at the table one day._

"_Homework." He answered._

"_Boy, what have I told you about homework? It don't do nothin'. You ain't gettin' any smarter so do what I told you to do and-"_

"_You haven't told me to do anything," He snapped back at her. _

_But interrupting Veronica and snapping at her deffinetly did not fly by with her. She got the look on her face that showed she was angry, or angrier at him. Her eyes getting wider and her hands on her hips as she stuck her chin out, "Excuse me?"_

"_I said you haven't told me to do anything," He repeated._

"_Well then I am now dumb bitch boy. Fix dinner."_

"_I will after I'm done with this," He answered._

"_Um, no. You will fix it now, damnit!" she shouted at him._

"_I said I would after!" he shouted back angrily at her._

_Following this argument came insults from the bitter, angry woman._

_"There ain't nobody that wants you, and there ain't nobody that needs you! Nobody ever will, even your own damn mother don't want you, you useless-" Veronica shouted at him._

_At this, Odd couldn't listen anymore, he turned and started to walk away with a smirk of disgust at her words. Wrong move that was._

_A vase then came flying toward him up the stairs, crashing behind him barely missing his head if he haden't have ducked just in time._

"_Smile about that you dumb-"_

_Her words were cut off as Odd then picked up the remote that went to his television in his room and threw it down the stairs at Veronica. He'd had just about enough of this woman, he couldn't take her hurtful words anymore, lashing out seemed like the only option. He had finally broken his code._

_The phone hit her in the chest and she ran up the stairs after him as he walked away._

_The outcome of the fight wasen't pretty. If anyone had been in that house at the time, they would hear the punches, slaps, kicks, and smacking of objects as they hit his body. _

_Finally, after a few months at this foster home, Mr. Bubbles discovered that Odd was not being treated well. Mr. Bubbles discovered this when he walked inside Veronica's home one day to hear shouting. Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Odd sitting and saying nothing as he listening to Veronica shouting in his ear about how he was a, "dumb-bitch-boy that shouldn't study because he was a dumbass." Following was a smack to the back of the head with the textbook that Odd had been reading from._

_Mr. Bubbles' marched forward and shoved the woman backwards and she hit the stove hard. She stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. _

_Upon Odd's removal from the home, it was discovered that Veronica had just gotten out of an abusive relationship with her boyfriend, who had a pierced lip and blonde hair, just like Odd. She had also been beaten by her father when she was a child. This had caused her to be violent toward him._

**_..._**

Odd could not continue with his story for any longer even if he needed to. There was a stinging behind his eyes, and he clutched at the blanket with as much strength as he had. Crying was not okay, it was never okay to cry for him. He would not allow it to happen.

Ulrich, Yumi, Aelita, and Jeremy were staring at him with sympathy and shock at everything their friend had just revealed to them. They had all known that Odd was tough, but after hearing everything, they realized just how strong he'd had to be. Looking at him in this moment, however, he looked so much younger. Without the piercings and soft glares he was sending them earlier, they all realized just how weak and exhausted he really was.

Aelita grasped Odd's hand as her own eyes watered, noticing the struggle he was going through. Odd's lip was quivering even though he tried to stop it. The stinging behind his eyes and aching in his heart was becoming too strong, even after all the years he had fought to keep it locked inside. The lump in his throat grew as Aelita spoke to him, "Oh, Odd..."

"We-we had no idea," Yumi said quietly.

Odd did not speak, instead he continued breathing in shaky breaths. After a few seconds, he said quietly and in a shaky voice, "N-n-no one does."

"Not even your own siblings?" Ulrich asked softly, and Odd shook his head, still not looking them in the eyes.

The four friends realized how much Odd's past strained his mind. His mental state was becoming shattered into a pit of depressed and anxiety after so much hardship, and no one had even known.

Odd brought his hand up to his face, as if to hide the shame he felt about his life.

"It's okay, man," Ulrich said gently and Odd shook his head.

"No...no it's not okay..." Odd said quietly.

"You needed to get this off your chest," Jeremy said sympathetically. "Obviously...obviously you've had mental strain and...and you just need help-"

"I don't need therapy!" Odd said loudly and in a broken voice that showed unshed tears. It made their hearts break just hearing it. Odd's hand curled against his head, some of his blonde hair between his fingers as he said brokenly, "I don't need it...I don't need it..."

They weren't sure what to do, and they hated it. Here there friend was, having a mental breakdown and they couldn't think of anything to help him. It made them feel so helpless and useless.

Aelita sniffed as a tear fell down her face and she said gently, "Hey...hey, hey..." Odd wasn't listening as he shook his head, continuing to fight back tears that threatened to fall. "Everything is okay now. We're here...and we're not going anywhere, okay?"

"She's right," Yumi said as she placed her hand where Odd's knee was underneath the covers. He flinched a bit in surprise at the touch, until Ulrich put his arm around his shoulders gently, and Jeremy stepped forward so he could place his hand on Odd's neck right above where his nub of a left arm. The gentle and loving touches from his new best friends caused him to finally look up.

Upon meeting their eyes, they all gave him comforting and reassuring smiles.

A tear, the first tear in years, dripped from Odd's eye and fell down in face. Following were more tears, and he covered his face in his hand as his friends gripped their hands on him tighter and reassuringly. Aelita wrapped her arms around him.

Heartbreaking sobs emitted from the blonde boy as she continued holding him and the rain continued falling from the sky.

...

Ulrich stood outside the hospital as the rain continued pouring consistently down. He watched the cars drive by and the tires would splash the puddles. Underneath the awning of the hospital, he leaned against one of the pillars and thought about everything that had happened a couple hours earlier.

Realization hit as he remembered what he had seen the morning after the first day of school.

_Ulrich had just gotten out of the shower and pulling on his dark blue jeans when Odd came into view. He was already partially dressed with dark blue, and slightly faded jeans on. And to add on to it, a black and white studded belt on his waist, but was apparently, not keeping his pants up in the least. He was about to walk to the mirrors when he realized something._

_"Aw damnit!" he said still facing the mirrors._

_"What?" __Ulrich asked looking at him._

_Odd turned around and faced Ulrich, "I forgot a shirt in the room."_

_"Well then go get one," The brunette boy said in a, duh, type of tone._

_"I…forgot our room number," He replied._

_"Room B288."_

_"I…also…forgot the key," Odd replied again sheepishly._

_Ulrich sighed and took the key out of his pocket and tossed it to him._

_"Thanks brah," he said, looping them on a finger and started walking toward the door. What Ulrich saw on his right arm surprised him greatly._

_Right there, on the shoulder of his right arm, was a complicated swirly design. Of what, Ulrich wasn't sure._

_"Um…" Ulrich started, but wasn't sure what to say. _

_"Hm?" Odd asked turning his head toward him._

_"What is that?"_

_At this random question, Odd got a puzzled look on his face and looked around. Then down at himself, but still not seeing any problems, he looked back up at his friend, "What's what?"_

_"That," He said, gesturing to his arm._

_"Ohhhh. Tattoo," Odd answered like it was no big deal._

_He then continued walking out the door and opened it until Ulrich saw yet another one on the back of that same shoulder._

Ulrich remembered doing research that night on the symbols, when he found them, he discovered that they were both African symbols. The one on Odd's right bicep was known as, "Odo nnyew fie kwan," meaning, "Love never loses its way home." The tattoo on the back of that shoulder was known as, "Aya," which meant, "fern." The fern is a plant that could grow in difficult places, giving the symbolic meaning of someone who had endured and outlasted many difficulties.

The two tattoos were small, but meant so much. Ulrich rubbed his eyes and kicked himself as he realized that key points of Odd's story and personality were inked on his body, and he had never even realized it. Ulrich's hands slid down his face as he looked up at the dark sky that was still releasing rain drops down on everything around him.

…

...

Feel free to look up the African symbols so you get a better understanding of what they look like!

wp-content/themes/directorypress/thumbs/odon_

wp-content/themes/directorypress/thumbs/aya_


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